cannot remove distributor
Race Director
Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Camp Verde AZ
C1 of Year Finalist (performance mods) 2019
2017 C1 of Year Finalist
Can you rotate teh housing when the dizzy is in its farthest up, jammed position?
It it doesn't rotate, that IS the jam, at the oil gallery boss. If the pin is causing the problem, the housing would rotate freely.
It it doesn't rotate, that IS the jam, at the oil gallery boss. If the pin is causing the problem, the housing would rotate freely.
Race Director
Joined: Feb 2004
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From: CT
Good thought Frankie.
To test this theory I would pull up as hard as I can and at the same time rotate the distributor shaft, if there is resistance then I would suspect you are correct.
But in the thousands of distributors I have pulled I have never encountered the pin coming out. 2 + 2 gum cutter always worked for me when a distributor was stuck.
Joe
To test this theory I would pull up as hard as I can and at the same time rotate the distributor shaft, if there is resistance then I would suspect you are correct.
But in the thousands of distributors I have pulled I have never encountered the pin coming out. 2 + 2 gum cutter always worked for me when a distributor was stuck.
Joe
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C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified 2020
I just talked with the owner of a well respected machine shop having been in business 40-45 years. He has had one instance of pulling a dizzy held up by sludge. It took quite a lot of grunt to get it out.
Having said that, here is a thought. I've been looking at one of my old distributors. What if just one shim (he said he shimmed it) has broken. One half is remaining in place, but having been worn enough letting it stick out enough to create the problem. Or could it be the shims he used, when installed, went in perfectly aligned, but the inside diameter of them was larger than they should be, thus allowing one or more shims to move out of position. I'm exhausted on this.
Dennis
Having said that, here is a thought. I've been looking at one of my old distributors. What if just one shim (he said he shimmed it) has broken. One half is remaining in place, but having been worn enough letting it stick out enough to create the problem. Or could it be the shims he used, when installed, went in perfectly aligned, but the inside diameter of them was larger than they should be, thus allowing one or more shims to move out of position. I'm exhausted on this.
Dennis
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 834
Likes: 86
From: CT
When I pull it up 1/2 inch, I can't turn the dist. But the vacuum advance shaft turns mostly all the way when it's raised up 1/2 inch. I feel gears come in and out so that's not it. But a solid hold when 1/2 inch up, like if I was to use crowbar something will snap.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 194
From: East Coast
What would happen if OP, Daren67, removed all the top end stuff off the distributor and tap the top of the distributor down into engine and then try and lift it out. Could that break it loose?
My $.02 trying to help.
Also you could try spraying it with a 50/50 mixture of ATF and acetone.
My $.02 trying to help.
Also you could try spraying it with a 50/50 mixture of ATF and acetone.
Last edited by Yellow6t7; Jan 30, 2017 at 05:24 PM.
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Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 131
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From: Illinois
one more opinion
Appreciate every ones help. Did not get it out. And if one more person tells me to put some muscle in it I will send you a picture of my biceps. I put two 1x2 pieces of wood 10 inches long and tried to pry on both sides evenly. Did not budge. All I can think of is The cans of gumout and PB were almost empty when I started so I will quit today and pick up some kroil and gumout Tomorrow after work and give it a whirl.
seven o eight -- 738---- six-five six-five 8am to 8pm c.s.t.
chuck
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2007
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Army
Why go stealth ?
We'd ALL like to know the resolution of this...its buggin' me now and I'm outta ideas. I'm not a fan of levering on the thing like there's no tomorrow as something is wrong beyond simply being 'stuck in the mud'.
Call it 'sky is falling' if you like....
We'd ALL like to know the resolution of this...its buggin' me now and I'm outta ideas. I'm not a fan of levering on the thing like there's no tomorrow as something is wrong beyond simply being 'stuck in the mud'.
Call it 'sky is falling' if you like....
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2001
Posts: 1,192
Likes: 194
From: East Coast
I just talked with the owner of a well respected machine shop having been in business 40-45 years. He has had one instance of pulling a dizzy held up by sludge. It took quite a lot of grunt to get it out.
Having said that, here is a thought. I've been looking at one of my old distributors. What if just one shim (he said he shimmed it) has broken. One half is remaining in place, but having been worn enough letting it stick out enough to create the problem. Or could it be the shims he used, when installed, went in perfectly aligned, but the inside diameter of them was larger than they should be, thus allowing one or more shims to move out of position. I'm exhausted on this. Dennis
Having said that, here is a thought. I've been looking at one of my old distributors. What if just one shim (he said he shimmed it) has broken. One half is remaining in place, but having been worn enough letting it stick out enough to create the problem. Or could it be the shims he used, when installed, went in perfectly aligned, but the inside diameter of them was larger than they should be, thus allowing one or more shims to move out of position. I'm exhausted on this.
Dennis
Instructor
Joined: Oct 2007
Posts: 131
Likes: 32
From: Illinois
Hi, Just a thought, can you remove the tachometer drive gear brass threaded housing and the internal tach drive gear BEFORE you try to remove the distributor? Your problem does not seem likely but it could be the gears are damaged and are preventing the main shaft from reversing when you are trying to lift it up.Beyond that there is no other physical barrier to removing the shaft unless it is sticking onto the oil pump drive shaft or the camshaft rear drive gear is not allowing it to rise due to damage or severe wear to the actual gears. I believe it just needs a strong upward "yank". possibly try attaching some type of slide hammer to the distributor body by means of a strap wrapped around the housing and attached to the slide hammer to facilitate the upward yank. call me if you wish further conversation.
seven o eight -- 738---- six-five six-five 8am to 8pm c.s.t.
chuck
seven o eight -- 738---- six-five six-five 8am to 8pm c.s.t.
chuck
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 798
Likes: 30
From: Alberta/Missouri....... depending when.
The one thing that hasn't happened here was the OP taking the advice that has been offered numerous times to use a pry bar under the lip to attempt to remove the distributor. I've dealt with one stuck distributor before and it acted very similar to this. I ended up using a smaller pry bar and tapping it while providing leverage to the lip on the distributor. It took a lot more force than I thought would be necessary (and I'm a caveman engineer), but it popped loose. Until the OP tries this, everything else (pin issues, etc) is just speculation. Just my useless $.02
Last edited by Al T; Jan 30, 2017 at 06:03 PM.
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2007
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From: Lake Villa Illinois
St. Jude Donor '14
When you say you can't turn the distributor itself when it's pulled up the half inch, that tells me there must be some gunk or sludge in the tight area at the oil gallery. If it was some metal obstruction, like an out of place shim, or the pin, you would have a hard metallic clunk when you pull it up, but you would still be able to turn it.
If it is gunk, it won't have the same clunk when you lift it. You have to lift while twisting until you wear your way through the gunk to get it out. (Or pry it out)
Gerry
Last edited by Mossy66; Jan 30, 2017 at 06:17 PM.
Team Owner
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Army
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2003
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From: Ocean Springs, MS
St. Jude Donor '07
Why go stealth ?
We'd ALL like to know the resolution of this...its buggin' me now and I'm outta ideas. I'm not a fan of levering on the thing like there's no tomorrow as something is wrong beyond simply being 'stuck in the mud'.
Call it 'sky is falling' if you like....
We'd ALL like to know the resolution of this...its buggin' me now and I'm outta ideas. I'm not a fan of levering on the thing like there's no tomorrow as something is wrong beyond simply being 'stuck in the mud'.
Call it 'sky is falling' if you like....
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 26,118
Likes: 1,873
From: Greenville, Indiana
The one thing that hasn't happened here was the OP taking the advice that has been offered numerous times to use a pry bar under the lip to attempt to remove the distributor. I've dealt with one stuck distributor before and it acted very similar to this. I ended up using a smaller pry bar and tapping it while providing leverage to the lip on the distributor. It took a lot more force than I thought would be necessary (and I'm a caveman engineer), but it popped loose. Until the OP tries this, everything else (pin issues, etc) is just speculation. Just my useless $.02
Team Owner
Joined: Aug 2008
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From: Rochester NY
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
Dist was out in late 1980s for shimming as well.
Race Director
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From: Fresno California
Didn't read all 59 posts. Penetrating oil, like you've done, and this: use a slide hammer, of the type used to pull dents and gears, etc. I have had to do this on a few old Ford engines....and it worked every time. The jarring/shock was the solution. You will need one with claws that go under the distributor body. Good luck.