Need Help Getting Distributor Installed

[colnago]

I'm doing a rebuild in the garage, and wanted to to a fit-check with the new distributor. Unfortunately, it seemed to stop about 1/4" before the rubber seal enters the opening. I think the end of the shaft is catching on the ledge that holds the oil pump shaft. Do I just need to jiggle the distributor back-and-forth to get it beyond this point? Is there a trick that I'm missing? Is the oil pump shaft keeping it from seating? The engine is on a stand, so gravity is pulling the shaft to the rear. Should I use a glob of assembly lube to hold it forward?

Also, at what point during the install does the distributor gear start to interact with the camshaft?

Thanks,

Joseph

[cep62]

Put a wrench on the crank bolt and turn the engine a little and it should drop in, then you can back it up to T D D

[colnago]

Well, I tried to get the original distributor installed as well, and ran into the same problem. So, I took the gear off the old distributor shaft, and it dropped right in, so it can't be the oil pump shaft. The only interference I can think of is the distributor gear not playing nice with the cam gear. Not sure what this means, as far as the final installation (new cam and new distributor).

Joseph

[Lee]

Hi,

So it appears you have narrowed it down to a gear mess issue..... maybe.

During Dissy install, as the gear on the distributor mess'es with the gear on the cam, the distributor shaft should rotate a few degrees as the gears are a "spiral". You state that this is a new cam,.... I wonder if it's distributor drive gear is the wrong one for this application? You may need to remove the cam and then line up the 2 gears to see if they are compatible.

The only problems I have encountered when installing a Dissy were getting the oil pump drive shaft to line up. When you installed the dissy with the gear removed and it fit right on,... I wonder if it was because of no contact to the pump shaft and this is the true issue of your problem.

Lee

[tnlprt]

The oil pump drive shaft is the problem ....While holding down on the dist ...Bump the starter and it will align with the oil pump drive and fall in place

[RottenAppleRed]

This is so common it should be taught in a life skills class in high school. Distributors have to do 2 things before they seat in an engine. 1st they have to engage the cam gear. It's best to see that the rotor is headed to the desired position on its way down. 2nd the oil pump drive shaft has to align with the bottom of the distributor. Very rairly the stars will align and the dizzy just falls into place.

If I'm pulling a distributor out to replace it, prime a pump or for other maintenance, I'm not concerned with TDC. I'm more concerned with where the rotor is pointing before I pull it. I also watch for where it's pointing as it exits the cam gear. When I put it back in, I just simply point the rotor in the direction it was as it exited the cam gear. As it's going back in, it should be headed for where it was pointing when it was seated. It will more than likely stop about a 1/4 inch above the machines surface. That's because it is hung up on the oil pump drive shaft. You can either turn the engine by hand or bump the ignition until it falls. I've never had any issues with this procedure.

If the engine is a rebuild, bring it to TDC, orient the rotor to fall in the desired location and install the distributor. If it falls short of engaging the oil pump drive shaft, rotate the crank until it falls, then back the crank up to TDC.

[colnago]

This is so common it should be taught in a life skills class in high school.

That was almost 40 years ago! I've had a beer or twenty since then. I think I signed up for an engine class, but they threw me in wood shop instead.

Last night, I was tired and sweaty (it hit 110 in town yesterday). With a bit of education, I'll tackle it again today. I've just read so many posts where "it drops right in." So, when it didn't, I freaked. This is also my first rebuild, so I'm very paranoid about everything!

Joseph

[colnago]

Okay, update time. I turned the crank a smidge, pushed the distributor down, and it "fell right into place." I have no idea where it's set, relative to #1 being on TDC, but this was only a fit ckeck anyway, so I don't care right now. All I care is that it is seated, and it turns when I turn the crank. In the right direction, too, which is a bonus! I understand that when I do it for real, I want to coat the gears with assembly lube.

Thanks, everyone!

Joseph

[sargentrs]

Congratulations! I've never been concerned with where my rotor was positioned when I install a distributor. I'm more careful to center the vacuum advance can to give me plenty of advance adjustment and then, after finding TDC, put the #1 plug wire on the corresponding cap socket. The engine doesn't care if that's at 10 o'clock or 6 o'clock just that fires when it should.

[colnago]

Congratulations! I've never been concerned with where my rotor was positioned when I install a distributor. I'm more careful to center the vacuum advance can to give me plenty of advance adjustment and then, after finding TDC, put the #1 plug wire on the corresponding cap socket. The engine doesn't care if that's at 10 o'clock or 6 o'clock just that fires when it should.

Actually, that's a really good way of thinking about it. As you say, the distributor doesn't care where it's pointing, and the plug wires don't care where they sit, as long as the right cylinder fires at the right time. I'm just glad the distributor dropped into place. Now I know what to expect when I do it for real.

Joseph