stan-85-Z

Trying to re-install my distributor. It gets to about 1/2 inch from seating and stops. I've tried bumping the motor and it still will not drop. The distributor also seems to "bind" there. Could the pump shaft be hitting the flat bottom of the gear? There is about 1/4 inch side to side play in the pump shaft end. Does that sound right? I really don't think that the shaft is hitting the gear hole, otherwise bumping the motor would line it up.

ede

the drive shaft is loose, it just sits there, no bolts or anything to really hold it in place. most likely you don't have "slot a" lined up with "tab b", or the oil pump drive shaftand the matching part of the distributor

stan-85-Z

That makes sense to me....I've been trying for two days to get it to go down. I've tried everything, lining the shaft up by eye, using a screwdriver to slightly turn the shaft in very small increments and bumping the engine. Most times while inserting the distributor, it stops with a metallic "clunk" about 3/8-1/2 inch from seated position. Other times it gets to the same spot and binds or tightens up...almost to the point that I can hardly rotate the housing. This shouldn't happen either, should it? I'm pretty much at wit's end and getting grey-er by the minute.

MarkB

are you putting moderate pressure on the rotor/distributor while you crank the motor over? if not,push down on the rotor/diss,while a buddy cranks it over.


what about the drive gear on the diss,is it foobarred ?

stan-85-Z

Yes, pushing down and twisting. It just will not go in. Gear is ok. You can see in the grease where the pump shaft is not centering. Isn't there a plastic sleeve on the other end of the shaft that is supposed to keep it strait? Maybe it broke?! That will really be a mess. I'm doing this in the parking lot of my townhouse. Definately cannot pull the motor to drop the pan. I'm lucky to be gettin away with what I've been doing so far....Who knew what a can-o-worms changing the intake manifold would be. Just had to have the Performer EPS....

stan-85-Z

Duh!!! Have you ever done something so stupid that it made you nauseous when you figured it out? I had my dist gear on upside down...(please don't tell anybody). Now if I can just keep from throwing my alternator belt. I replaced it twice over the weekend. They are actually seperating and flying off. Pullys look ok, not warped and in alignment, best I can tell. I thought I was getting it too tight but any looser and it squeals. Gotta be easier to figure out than the distributor fiasco, tho...right??? Man, it's not easy learning to be a master mechanic via the internet.....