MSD distributor

gtstang1987 · Dec 13, 2007

I am installing a MSD distributor and for the life of my i can't get it in there. Any suggestions on what might be the problem. The oil pump rod that sticks into the bottom of the distributor keeps falling to the side i think that might be the problem, so i used a little greese to keep it from falling over and it still wont go in. Ive compared it to the distributor i pulled out and there identical, as far as length and gear. Any help would be awesome. Thanks

goodfastncheap · Dec 13, 2007

The cheapest tool you have in your toolbox is also the most important - patience.

wiggle, stab, wiggle stab, wiggle. stab stab wigg.....

jtfairlane · Dec 13, 2007

gtstang1987 said:
I am installing a MSD distributor and for the life of my i can't get it in there. Any suggestions on what might be the problem. The oil pump rod that sticks into the bottom of the distributor keeps falling to the side i think that might be the problem, so i used a little greese to keep it from falling over and it still wont go in. Ive compared it to the distributor i pulled out and there identical, as far as length and gear. Any help would be awesome. Thanks

Sounds like you didn't install the retainer/washer on the oil pump drive shaft that keeps the oil pump shaft from being pulled out of the pump/block.

I don't envy your attempt to try and install the oil pump driveshaft from above, while also installing the distributor...

EMW150 · Dec 13, 2007

Use the grease to center the shaft. I usually use the white assembly lube because it'll disolve. Set the distributor in and then you need to turn the engine over by hand with a ratchet on the balancer till it drops in the rest of the way. What's happening is the hex on the shaft isn't aligning in the bottom of the distributor gear. No problem, common when installing a distributor.

stykthyn · Dec 13, 2007

I ran across a situation like this before. like said earlier the shaft is lifting up and not letting the dist sit the way it is supposed to. get a pair of needle nose and see if you cant get it to drop down. then try and isntall your distributor.

Fast63 · Dec 13, 2007

EMW150 said:
Use the grease to center the shaft. I usually use the white assembly lube because it'll disolve. Set the distributor in and then you need to turn the engine over by hand with a ratchet on the balancer till it drops in the rest of the way. What's happening is the hex on the shaft isn't aligning in the bottom of the distributor gear. No problem, common when installing a distributor.

I do not agree with trying to center the shaft, I think it is really unnecessary because I have never had a problem with it. It's ok if the shaft falls to the side, it doesn't matter. But turning the engine over by hand is key, but you can also do it much more easily by just turning the starter over for half a second. The problem you are having is like these guys said with the hex shaft needing to mate with the hex in the distributor. If you bump the starter like I said, it will rotate until it mates properly and you don't have to worry about screwing anything up because the distributor gear and cam gear are already meshed. But make you you have it is far enough that they are meshed!!

gtstang1987 · Dec 14, 2007

Thanks all for the advice. I haven't tired bumping the starter or manually turning over the motor i thought i might strip the gear but that does make since that the gears are already mated. I will attempt this again when i get off work this afternoon. Thanks again

EMW150 · Dec 15, 2007

Fast63 said:
I do not agree with trying to center the shaft, I think it is really unnecessary because I have never had a problem with it. It's ok if the shaft falls to the side, it doesn't matter.

I should've explained a little better. The shaft doesn't need to be perfectly centered but I've installed distributors before where the shafts were missing the clips and layed totally to one side when trying to install. In that case the taper won't start into the bottom of the dist. shaft. When I ran into that I spaced it out slightly with white grease so it'll start right in.

Fast63 · Dec 15, 2007

EMW150 said:
I should've explained a little better. The shaft doesn't need to be perfectly centered but I've installed distributors before where the shafts were missing the clips and layed totally to one side when trying to install. In that case the taper won't start into the bottom of the dist. shaft. When I ran into that I spaced it out slightly with white grease so it'll start right in.

The clips don't have anything to do with the shaft falling to the side, it just keeps the shaft from pulling out. If you have had problems with that in the past, it was something different. The hole in the block is really not all that much bigger than the shaft is. In fact I just installed my distributor today and the shaft was to the side and touching the block. It finds its own way into the hole.

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I want to measure mine. It doesn't look that tall.

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