R & R Distributor?

[Anteek29]

With the engine installed in the car, seems any work involving the dissy is best facilitated by pulling it and servicing on the bench. However, I have a couple questions first:
1. Is there any chance of the oil pump drive shaft coming out with the dissy?
2. When re-installing the dissy, is it a pain to locate and line up the hex drive interfaces?
Is it an easy drop-in?
(Yes, I have pre-marked the rotor and body locations.)

 

[scicala]

If you drop the distributor back in with the rotor and base in the same exact position, it should drop right in and only need posssible timing light verification when running again to make sure the timing is correct.
Also, the oil pump drive shaft should stay in the oil pump when you remove the distributor..

Sal

 

[paul2748]

There is supposed to be a 'washer' on the shaft located between the pump and the block so the shaft will not pull out.


It can be somewhat of a pain to line up the hex drive and get the rotor pointing in the right spot. Simply a trial and error situation that may get a little frustrating.


I suggest before pulling the distributor to get the rotor pointing to the number one wire in the cap (the timing pointer will also point to the marks on the balancer). This way, you can be sure that the timing will come out right the first time when you put the distributor back in.

With the engine installed in the car, seems any work involving the dissy is best facilitated by pulling it and servicing on the bench. However, I have a couple questions first:
1. Is there any chance of the oil pump drive shaft coming out with the dissy?
2. When re-installing the dissy, is it a pain to locate and line up the hex drive interfaces?
Is it an easy drop-in?
(Yes, I have pre-marked the rotor and body locations.)

 

[dmsfrr]

... It can be somewhat of a pain to line up the hex drive and get the rotor pointing in the right spot. Simply a trial and error situation that may get a little frustrating. ...

Due to the angle of the teeth on the driven gear you may need to turn the rotor a very small amount counter-clockwise from the marks you made for it to drop in at the 'correct' original position.
.

 

[Crankster]

Ya hafta hold your tongue "just so" to expedite the process ...

 

[KULTULZ]

THREE MARKS after arriving @TDC with a piston stop and timing marks align properly -

1) Mark DIST position in relation to engine so as to have it set back in properly ...

2) Mark DIST BOWL as to rotor pointing to No. 1 CYL (use cap as guide) ...

3) Mark DIST BOWL again after drive gear clears driven gear. This will enable you to begin to set the DIST back in correctly the first time.

Verify initial timing and advance with a quality light.

Why do you feel it necessary to pull the DIST for just points and cond? It is a LOM so there is not much you can do with it once it is out.

 

[Anteek29]

"Why do you feel it necessary to pull the DIST for just points and cond? It is a LOM so there is not much you can do with it once it is out."

It is not a LOM. Am having issues with the unknown replacement dissy at high rpm.
I suspect the weights/springs. I also must verify it is not a 'Cardone special'.

 

[mercman from oz]

Larger picture of Distributor, contributed by dmsfrr

 

[Anteek29]

Ya hafta hold your tongue "just so" to expedite the process ...

And saying a few cuss words too?

 

[scicala]

It doesn't matter what position the crankshaft is in when you remove the dist, as long as you put the distributor in exctly as it came out, and don't move the crank after the dist is out. Uneeded step to bring it to #1 TDC.

Sal

 

[craig]

The only reason I would remove remove the distributor would be if the mechanical advance was seized and I couldn't get it apart any other way.

As far as the oil pump shaft, beware, it can stick in the distributor. I have seen guys yank a stuck dist. out thinking the housing was just cruddy and in reality the shaft was stuck in the dist. They pulled hard enough to slip the oil pump shaft retainer clip off. It's not fun to reinstall from the topside

 

[Crankster]

And saying a few cuss words too?

Um... yes that has been known to happen! lol

Distributor R&R and a basic understanding of the innards is a pretty useful skill to have. One of the cool things about the internet and website forums like this is the archived information available going back several years. If you follow the general routines outlined (before removal!) when "stabbing" the distributor back in the engine, it will start right up first time every time, and the ignition timing will be very, very close. It helps to verify the damper & pointer is telling the truth about "0" TDC, and that you're really at TDC on the compression stroke for #1 cylinder. It isn't required to do it this way, but it helps ensure success for the novice. It was one of those "final exam" type tests for basic Shop classes.

Pull the distributor, spin the motor over a few times, have at it buddy! Piece of cake once you know how to "get back to where you once belonged".

Might be able to tell if you've one of the offending Cardone Frankendizzys just by a visual, or at least determine that it ain't a Cardone. The period correct distributor had the heavy deep bowl aluminum castings that are characteristic.

 

[KULTULZ]

If you follow the general routines outlined (before removal!) when "stabbing" the distributor back in the engine, it will start right up first time every time, and the ignition timing will be very, very close. It helps to verify the damper & pointer is telling the truth about "0" TDC, and that you're really at TDC on the compression stroke for #1 cylinder. It isn't required to do it this way, but it helps ensure success for the novice

OLD FART ALSO ...

 

[Anteek29]

"Might be able to tell if you've one of the offending Cardone Frankendizzys just by a visual, or at least determine that it ain't a Cardone. The period correct distributor had the heavy deep bowl aluminum castings that are characteristic."


The dissy appears to be a later Motorcrraft with deep bowl and triangular base.
The dwell at high RPM remains steady which tells me no point bounce or shaft wobble.
However, with the vac canister disconnected, I can watch the damper mark advance smoothly with increasing RPMs and then start randomly jumping ahead, causing the
engine to ping and buck. Not good! That is why I need to pull the dissy and investigate.

 

[Crankster]

Interesting! yeah I messed around with junkbox & defective distributors for too long before I wizened up some and started to figure out what's what. A serviceable distributor with the correct advance curve makes all the difference. If it's a triangular base housing it might well be one of the "fake" Y-Block distributors. I think maybe the Motorcraft "Service Replacement" units offered up in the 1970s might have used those later distributor bodies, but guess which one is more likely to be found.

So anyway, you're not done yet!?

Rotate the engine by hand so #1 piston is at TDC on the compression stroke. The distributor rotor should be pointing or aligned with #1 distributor cap terminal location, about where the rear spring clip is located. Mark the distributor housing and block with a scribe or sharpy line, this will help a great deal with ensuring an easy engine start after reinstalling.

Disconnect everything and remove the distributor. After you get it re-installed and fully seated the rotor will be in the exact same alignment when it is correct. Maybe you'll need a new or replacement distributor but the same principle applies.

 

[dmsfrr]

... Rotate the engine by hand so #1 piston is at TDC on the compression stroke. The distributor rotor should be pointing or aligned with #1 distributor cap terminal location, about where the rear spring clip is located. Mark the distributor housing and block with a scribe or sharpy line, this will help a great deal with ensuring an easy engine start after reinstalling. ...

Anteek29,
In this diagram notice the overall position/rotation of the distributor in relation to the top of the engine. Also notice the 2 small white bars at the lower left and upper right of the dist cap diagram, they represent the cap hold-down spring clips.

You should be able to remove and replace the distributor in any hand-marked position as long as the crankshaft & cam are NOT moved while the distributor is out. Or you'll have to start all over with the procedure Crankster mentioned.

... The dissy appears to be a later Motorcrraft with deep bowl and triangular base. ...

Although you have a slightly newer distributor housing, I'm relatively sure the cap itself is the same.

 

[KULTULZ]

I think maybe the Motorcraft "Service Replacement" units offered up in the 1970s might have used those later distributor bodies, but guess which one is more likely to be found.

Don't forget the 1963-64 292 truck DIST had the triangular shaft body. This is the one that is easiest modified, especially if going to DS-II. And it also used an O-RING as the SBF.

 

[Daves55Sedan]

As far as leaving the gear (or rotor) in the EXACT position, that cannot be accomplished because you will need to turn the shaft in order to get the cam rubbing block of your new points aligned with the high point of the cam so that you can set the gap.
I originally (beginning in 1973) pulled the dizzy to replace points and condenser and set the point gap, but way back then, I remember having trouble getting the bottom of the dizzy shaft to re-align with the oil pump hex shaft, and accidentally got it one gear tooth off. When I went to start the engine, the carb exploded and I had to take it off to replace the economizer valve. NEVER did that again. Since then, I have serviced the dizzy right where it sits in the engine.
However, I am a small and wirey fellow. I just take the oil bath air cleaner off, crawl up over the engine with my right foot resting on the driver side exhaust manifold and my left foot resting on the top of the water pump. It is fairly comfortable. Just looks awkward, but who cares. It only takes 15 minutes to change points, condenser and set point gap in the car anyway.
I'll agree it is easier to put the dizzy in a workbench vice to service it, but to me, it is more trouble than it's worth taking it out and trying to put it back in again right, when most of the time, the hex shaft won't cooperate.
BTW, either way you do it, don't forget to squirt a little oil in the dizzy shaft bushing fitting on the outside of the dizzy.

 

[Anteek29]

Daves55: I appreciate your insightful posting! Ordinarily, I'd be servicing the points and cond with the dissy in the car. However, the dissy must come out because I want to investigate potential problems within the advance weights and springs area. I have a spare dissy available if I need it.

 

[dmsfrr]

... BTW, either way you do it, don't forget to squirt a little oil in the dizzy shaft bushing fitting on the outside of the dizzy.

Shaft oil fitting, so the bushing doesn't wear as quickly, causing the dwell & point gap to become unstable sooner.