Distributor won't drop in all the way

Old 01-27-2008, 11:42 AM
  #1  
lmccoll
Member
MASTER JOURNEYMAN
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 36
Default Distributor won't drop in all the way

I have SBC, 383 with a victor junior intake. I have used the intake and distributor on a different motor with no problems. I built a new short block, same heards and intake, but now the distributor won't drop in all the way.

I did change the distributor gear to a bronze gear and of course the oil pump and shaft is new. It looks like it needs to drop another 1/4" to fit down on the intake.

Any ideas?

Thanks, Larry
lmccoll is offline  
Old 01-27-2008, 12:29 PM
  #2  
v8Fiero
Senior Member
MASTER BUILDER
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Wisconsin cheesehead!!
Posts: 213
Default

the oil pump shaft might not be going into the bottom of the dist, are you sure you are in the right slot on the camshaft?
v8Fiero is offline  
Old 01-27-2008, 01:30 PM
  #3  
bubbabbc
Member
JUNIOR BUILDER
 
Join Date: Jun 2003
Location: ny
Posts: 85
Default

It might possibly be the dreaded sbc/bbc - pump/shaft mismatch of parts. Several mix-up combinations are possible. That is something you can check w/o much effort.
bubbabbc is offline  
Old 01-27-2008, 05:21 PM
  #4  
lmccoll
Member
MASTER JOURNEYMAN
Thread Starter
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Posts: 36
Default Ok found the problem, not sure how to fix

Ok, I pulled the distributor out and looked at it carefully, I had put the gear on upside down and it was actually going past cam gear.

So, I pulled the gear back off, but now it won't quite slip on the distributor far enough because the new bronze gear has about 1/4" bronze at the top, the old steel gear did not have this. Package says it is for a sbc. So, I still dont have it resolved.
lmccoll is offline  
Old 01-27-2008, 06:06 PM
  #5  
zipper06
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
 
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: La.
Posts: 2,890
Default

If your distributor gear does not look like this one, you donot have a chevy gear. They are the same for big and small block engines. The long small end goes to the bottom/oil pump the gear goes up to the distributor there should be no bronze above the gear.

Zip.

This picture is off MSD's webpage.


zipper06 is offline  
Old 01-28-2008, 04:29 AM
  #6  
curtisreed
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
 
curtisreed's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: KIEFER, OK.
Posts: 1,312
Default

I bought a new bronze gear for my MSD dist. from Summit and had to machine some off of the top to get it to match the roll pin hole. It was supposed to be the right one for that dist. After I threw it in a lathe no problems.

Curtis
curtisreed is offline  
Old 01-28-2008, 04:48 AM
  #7  
itsabird
Senior Member
RACING JUNKIE
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: ohio
Posts: 816
Default

is it a msd dist? if so in the prosess of installing the gear, you may have move the slideing collor, if it has one
itsabird is offline  
Old 01-28-2008, 06:02 PM
  #8  
davis419b
Senior Member
EXPERT BUILDER
 
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: Wylie,Texas
Posts: 276
Default

Listen to Zipper 06, He knows all !!!! Sometimes when you drop the distributor in and get it positioned where you want it you hold it and spin the engine over and it will drop into the pump shaft. JMO
Don
davis419b is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 03:52 PM
  #9  
bjuice
Administrator
RACING JUNKIE
 
bjuice's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Location: Greenville s.c.
Posts: 3,236
Default

the easiet way i have found to do this by myself in the car..is get engine to TDC, make sure #1 valves (int/exh) closed ( valve cover off) and physcally verify #1 piston is up. (spark plug out ,use flash light etc..)..its possible to have the harmonic balancer on TDC but the piston be down in the cylinder ( over lap)...once verified the piston is up and balancer TDC..Go ahead and manualy roll balancer around to the desired total timing desired.

look down into distributer hole into intake and see which way the slot is pointed..i normally take a long flat head screw driver and turn it (slot) to which ever direction the slot is on the bronze gear after having the rotor button point toward #1 piston as you drop in distibuter..

this works well for me ..plus i am a one man show..gotta do things one man can do without help of another.


hope this helps.

Brian
__________________
Bjuice..

"I'M YOUR HUCKLEBERRY ! "
bjuice is offline  
Old 01-30-2008, 08:12 PM
  #10  
sds10racer
Senior Member
MASTER BUILDER
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: winner sd
Posts: 196
Default

thats the same way i do it.
sds10racer is offline  

Contact Us - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service - Do Not Sell My Personal Information -