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question on distributor

Joined
Apr 2, 2004
Messages
4,611
Location
Newark, Delaware
Corvette
1965 Coupe L76 / 1978 L82
before I took the distributor out of my car I "bumped" the motor over until the rotor was pointing straight forward and than marked both the rotor and the distributor housing with a marker so I could reinstall it again properly oriented.
I did replace the rotor but I remarked the new one in the excalt same spot as the old one I pulled off.

When I reinstalled the distributor yesterday I can NOT get it to sit all the way down in the same position. when I can get the distibutor to sit all the way down the rotor is either one click to the left or one click to the right but it will not sit all the way down and have the rotor point straight ahead again.

i tried the "lift and drop" method and had the rotor rotate around fully twice but it will not drop down and have the rotor in the same position as when I removed it.
I'm 99.7% sure the crankshaft never got moved at all during the project so any ideas why I can't get the distributor back in oriented correctly.
I know if it's wrong i'll never get the timing correct.
Right now the unit is sitting fully seated but the rotor is one 'click" to the right (towards the passenger side) rather than pointing dead ahead.
 
BarryK said:
before I took the distributor out of my car I "bumped" the motor over until the rotor was pointing straight forward and than marked both the rotor and the distributor housing with a marker so I could reinstall it again properly oriented.
I did replace the rotor but I remarked the new one in the excalt same spot as the old one I pulled off.

When I reinstalled the distributor yesterday I can NOT get it to sit all the way down in the same position. when I can get the distibutor to sit all the way down the rotor is either one click to the left or one click to the right but it will not sit all the way down and have the rotor point straight ahead again.

i tried the "lift and drop" method and had the rotor rotate around fully twice but it will not drop down and have the rotor in the same position as when I removed it.
I'm 99.7% sure the crankshaft never got moved at all during the project so any ideas why I can't get the distributor back in oriented correctly.
I know if it's wrong i'll never get the timing correct.
Right now the unit is sitting fully seated but the rotor is one 'click" to the right (towards the passenger side) rather than pointing dead ahead.

You will have to move the slotted end of the oil pump drive to match the tang on the end of the dist. Use a long screwdriver to fit into the slot on the oil pump drive and move it in the direction that you are moving the dist. rotor. The gears on the dist are not straight cut so this is why the tang is off and the dist won't seat.

Randy
 
Randy, I know the gears are not straight but I can't figure than if I had the distibutor slightly turned to start why it wouldn't than drop down moving itself into proper position if the crank hadn't moved since the removal.

I may have to do the screwdriver method but if it was positioned correctly during removal I'm just confused why it wouldn't go back the same way on install.
 
BarryK said:
Randy, I know the gears are not straight but I can't figure than if I had the distibutor slightly turned to start why it wouldn't than drop down moving itself into proper position if the crank hadn't moved since the removal.

I may have to do the screwdriver method but if it was positioned correctly during removal I'm just confused why it wouldn't go back the same way on install.

Because when you pulled the dist out the tang rotated also as the gears rotated off the cam drive gear. BUT, once the Dist tang is disengaged from the oil pump drive the dist gear is still rotating off the cam gear as you pull upward on the dist. It ain't no big deal. Just move the oil pump drive tang to line up with the dist slot. You might have to take a couple of shots at it but you will get it.
 
It took two tries of using a long scewdriver to move the oil pump drive but
I got it seated down AND in the right position finally. The marks i made on the housing and on the rotor now line up and she is sitting all the way down like it should be.

I'm hoping now that when I get to finally fire the motor up again it should only take a little tweak and the timing should be correct.

Thanks all :beer
 
And you did remember the round gasket between the distributor and the intake manifold, right? :)
 
JohnZ said:
And you did remember the round gasket between the distributor and the intake manifold, right? :)

gasket? we doon nee' no stinkin gasket!
H*ll, i saved a bunch of money by not using ANY gaskets anywhere on the car. I mean, all they do is cost money and you just have to replace them the next time anyway...... so why bother.
;LOL ;LOL ;LOL


yes John, I remembered the gasket. :)
 

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