Cant get dist to seat down all the way.... HELP ASAP

N8Miller · May 13, 2007

ok, i am swapping dist to see if thats the reason that i have no spark. anyway, pointy end of the oil pump shaft is down, flat end up, dist goes down, but is up about 1/8"...... you can see the O ring.
any tips?

heres a pic--- hopefully it helps

TheUser · May 13, 2007

I had the same problem. Here is my thread about it from last year:

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?t=654663&highlight=distributer

vristang · May 13, 2007

Some of the hex ends of the aftermarket pump driveshafts are longer than the stocker.

This means that you need to trim about 1/4" off the bottom of the distributor.
I'm not sure how you can verify this with the timing cover on...
I had my cover off when I mocked mine up...

Could this be the issue?

jason

N8Miller · May 13, 2007

edit: bump method didnt work, but i check the length of the dist that im tryin vs the one that rick did for me.... same length.

also, yes, it is an arp shaft too.

TheUser · May 13, 2007

you might try removing the rotor and gently tapping it with a mallet. That's what I had to do and it worked. No problems that I know of. My star washer was just up a little too far preventing it from sliding all of the way on the shaft.

4G-KDMP · May 13, 2007

yes the star washer could be the culprit as TheUser suggested.

N8Miller · May 13, 2007

i dont even know about the star washer......

i guess that im heading to K-mart for a rubber mallet....

vristang · May 13, 2007

N8Miller said:
edit: bump method didnt work, but i check the length of the dist that im tryin vs the one that rick did for me.... same length.

also, yes, it is an arp shaft too.

Your using an ARP shaft. That is the part that is different.
Cut 1/4" off the dist and your done...

jason

N8Miller · May 13, 2007

ok, explain to me why i have to cut off 1/4" when the other one that came outof it is the exact same size?

rubber mallet theory didnt work. i guess im cutting.

edit: what if i just went to the parts store and got a stock replacement oil pump shaft? should it be shorter and i just use the dist the way it is? i coudlnt get the dist cut till monday at the local machine shop.

vristang · May 13, 2007

N8Miller said:
ok, explain to me why i have to cut off 1/4" when the other one that came outof it is the exact same size?

rubber mallet theory didnt work. i guess im cutting.

edit: what if i just went to the parts store and got a stock replacement oil pump shaft? should it be shorter and i just use the dist the way it is? i coudlnt get the dist cut till monday at the local machine shop.

The distributors are the same, it is the ARP shaft that is different.

The length of the upper Hex section on the shaft is not as long on the ARP rod when compared to a stocker (actually the stocker is hex shaped throughout the entire length).
You could extend the ARP rod Hex section by lengthening the Hex section, but that isn't practical and may weaken the rod.

The easiest solution is to hack a section of the dist off. You will still have plenty of engagement on the shaft.

Give a double check that nothing is hanging up anywhere, then measure off about .200" and break out the hacksaw...

If you want to verify...
Put some paint on the base of the hex on the ARP shaft and install in the motor. Attempt to install the dist; when it bottoms out on the ARP shaft it will rub off some of the paint.

Maybe I should try and get some pics of a mockup of this...
(may be a few days though)

jason

N8Miller · May 13, 2007

jason, i was also using the ARP one BEFORE the new dist install. if the stock one is only a few bucks, im gonna pick up one... i am really only testing to make sure that the dist is bad and thats why i dont have spark.

krallman · May 13, 2007

Do you have the #1 cylinder at tdc

N8Miller · May 13, 2007

would that matter for changing the dist? i marked where the rotor is supposed to point, so wouldnt that keep it all the same? i knwo i would have to readjust the timing though.....

TheUser · May 13, 2007

cutting the distributer sounds like a bunch of BS to me...no offense to anyone. I have the ARP oil pump shaft part number ARP-154-7904 from Summit and I didn't cut anything. I'm using the the stock distributer.

Did you install the oil pump shaft yourself? I'll see if I can find a pic, but I don't think I have one. There's a little "star" type washer that goes over the hex end on the top of the driveshaft. I don't remember exactly why it's there, but that was what was holding my distributer up a little and keeping it from seating all the way.

I know you said you've bumped it and malletized it, but I don't really think you should have to cut the distributer. That may solve the problem, but it may not be necessary.

EDIT: Here is a pic of the star washer on the oil pump shaft (the one in the pic is the old shaft - not sure what brand, not my new one):
The start washer was simply up too far on the shaft, so when I tapped the distributer down w/ the mallet, it slid the star washer down the shaft into the appropriate place. If that doesn't work for you, then I don't know.

Bad92GT · May 13, 2007

well if you think about it.. other then the shaft being to long, there isnt much else that could keep it from going down.. i doubt it could be anything else

TheUser · May 13, 2007

look at the shaft in the pic...there's nothing that would keep the distributer from sliding over the shaft except that star washer, which WILL slide down. Cutting the distributer is going to make the distributer slide down in the hole farther because the bottom won't come into contact with the star washer. Will cutting the distributer hurt anything? Maybe not, but I just think he needs to tap a little harder

vristang · May 13, 2007

The pic above is a STOCK shaft.

Wrong ARP pump shaft guys...
http://store.summitracing.com/large...l+Pump+Driveshaft+Kits&img=arp-154-7905_w.jpg

jason

Yellowpnoy · May 13, 2007

I just had the same problem. I had to cut about 1/8-1/4" off my distributor. I had to do this on my ARP and my FMS hardened shafts. It wont hurt the distributor or the oil pump shaft by doing this. The are hex end and then have round "raised" part after the hex end and wont let the dizzy seat all the way. Unless the motor is out of the car, i wouldnt pull it out to change the oil pump shaft, save yourself the hassle and trim the dizzy to fit, this is a pretty common problem with non-stock shafts.

Anthony

vristang · May 13, 2007

Just a general question, as I can't recall the 'correct' answer.

Isn't the star washer supposed to be on the bottom end of the shaft?
I thought the star is supposed to be located on the bottom end, under the lower flange, to prevent the shaft from lifting out of the pump when the distributor is removed.

I think the pic shows the shaft in upside down?

EDIT:
Nevermind, I just found a diagram that shows how it sits.
The pic is correct.

TheUser said:

N8Miller · May 14, 2007

ok guys, i am not sure what im going to do now.

just for reference, does the pointy end go down or up? The FMS shaft doesnt have a star thing on it like the ARP one does.

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