56 Merc 312 Distributor

When you get the rocker covers off, try opening the valves with a hammer handle. Just push down with the wood. They should move easy. If you have bent pushrods, the early ones were solid. Just hammer them, straight on a piece of flat wood. Reset the rocker adjustment to .018 cold.
 
Everything under the valve covers looked to be working well, and I am really glad to get the gaskets replaced. They were in bad shape, the distributor is still stuck tight. I did change to a 50/50 Acitone/AFT mixture this last weekend. Hopefully the new lubricant will help, the tapping is getting old but I remain patient. I am thinking of adding in some heat before tapping to see if it might help. Not torch heat but propane bottle with a end heat on the distributor where it meets the manifold. I have pulled the coil, distributors vacuum housing, carb vacuum lines, and linkage to the carb with it's mounting so I have a good area to get to it.

Anyone think that heat would be a good next move, and if so would this be the right location to heat?

Thanks
 
Heat on that aluminum dist housing will cause it to swell and tighten up. Remove the intake manifold and put the heat all around on the cast iron block. If anything, use wet rags to cool the aluminum housing.
 
I've used one of those first-Aid ice packs and compressed air on the dist. too. Heat the surrounding area of the block with a propane torch. keep tapping. keep being patient. Keep us up to date.
 
Once you remove the manifold, you may want to try a monkey wrench on the base. That has worked a time or two as well. Put the jaws down under the cap housing base and tighten up a little on the ribbed section. you may need to work back and forth in small increments.
 
if taping on the dist doesn't work its time for the pipe wrench, a long pipe wrench is best, put pressure on it and while trying to turn it with the wrench keep taping on the dist, try going both ways with the wrench
 
Finally it came loose, I have it spinning. It came loose with acitone and atf constant tapping and a pair of water pump plyers. I think I have lost one of the clips for the cap so this may run into a replacement, but at least that is possible now.

I really do appreciate everyone’s advice; I think patience was the best advice of all.
 
Yes!, how about the next steps? are you able to rotate the engine by hand or with the starter? Rotate it to TDC on the #1 cylinder. (frnt corner, passenger side). With the valve cover removed both valves need to be closed, ie, rocker arms slightly loose, springs not compressed on #1. Then check your Harmonic balancer to see if it matches up to being close to TDC or within a close range.
FYI, you could remove all the spark plugs to turn it over easier to get to this point. And while you are at it, you might consider squirting in a spoonful of Marvel Mystery Oil in each cylinder to soak the rings. It'll make it smoke on startup, but will eventually subside.
Let us know how it's going. We need more yblocks back on the road!
 
Y'sguy I am with you, I want to get her back on the road bad. I do have a question on your post though.

Next Steps, yes I can turn the engine over and find TDC. But I have not checked to see if the harmonic balancer and distributor line up, if for some reason they don’t is there something that is good to mark the harmonic balancer with?

I am getting off my original question, but if I pull the distributor after I have the engine at TDC. How do I know where to turn the distributor shaft when I re-install a new one?
 
Use chalk, white paint or yelo crayon for marking metal on the balancer. You can scribe a line on the dizzy housing and block to try and match up. Assuming they are in the right position. The rotor with the cap removed hopefully will be pointing at the #1 position , usually marked by the #1 on the dizzy cap. If it doesn't line up (within a 1/4") approx. then there may be the chance its been installed incorrectly or the timing chain is loose and has jumped position OR the balancer ring may have slipped.
I would first find out if the rotor lines up.
If the rotor does not line up, try pulling up on the dizzy to remove it.Buff off the housing (clean-up) while its up, then try to reinsert the dizzy housing in the same spot but rotating the rotor to slide into the #1 terminal position. It will take several tries because the camshaft gear in angeled, and causes the rotor or dist. shaft to rotate some as it slides in. Hopefully you can get it to line up this way first. If this works you may not need to buy a new dizzy at this point.

So, if the rotor lines up at 1, balancer is on TDC #1 cylinder has both valves closed, Then you need to try and see if it will fire. you can leave off the valve cover while it is running for now, but it will eventully get messy, at least we hope! That means its oiling properly.

You may want torig up a small gravity feed gas tank. this eliminate the need fr a fuel pump and assure you will have clean gas.

Let us know how its going. this part can get confusing, at least it does for me. So, hopefully I've given you some decent advice.
 
another point. Now that you are able to remove the dizzy, you can check to see if the top end is oiling by using a long 1/4" extinion and I think? a 1/4" socket. Tape the socket on the extion tightly so it won't come off!! Then see if you can use an electric drill to chuck up on the extension. Insert the socket with ext. down the dist. hole into the oil pump. You may be able to see it by first looking down the hole with a flashlight. run the drill in counterclockwise direction to spin the oil pump. after a few minutes and with the rocker cover off you hope to see oil pooling around the valleys int the head. You can also use a speed handle instead of a drill. just go counterclockwise.

Correct me here on the size guys if I'm wrong. I'm no expert.
 
we need to see some pics of that thing? I just checked and I'm about 160 mile from you if you get desperate for help or parts.
 
Just mark it with white paint

56 Mercer said:
Y'sguy I am with you, I want to get her back on the road bad. I do have a question on your post though.

Next Steps, yes I can turn the engine over and find TDC. But I have not checked to see if the harmonic balancer and distributor line up, if for some reason they don’t is there something that is good to mark the harmonic balancer with?

I am getting off my original question, but if I pull the distributor after I have the engine at TDC. How do I know where to turn the distributor shaft when I re-install a new one?
Click to expand...
 
some times when you reinstall the dist it wont go all the way down because it wont line up with the oil pump drive shaft, get the dist in time then just turn the engine over by hand, the dist gear will turn dist till it will fall over oil pump drive, the dist wont ne out of time because the dist gear is already engaged with the gear on the cam, this works with any car engine that wont let the dist fall all the way down and in place
 
OK, so I'm a little slow but I think I may get how distributor alignment works. When at TDC, it don't matter how you re-install the distributor as long as there is clearance for vacuum and room to time it. You just need to make sure that the rotor is pointing at #1 after the distributor is seated.

Can you guys validate for me. I know this has got to be really fundamental for most of you. I will get some pics this weekend and get them on here, so you guys can see how your training is working out.
 
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