Need dizzy install tips

hssnpny · Nov 8, 2008

I'm having trouble getting my dizzy back in. The oil pump shaft always flops to one side, and won't stay centered so the dizzy can engage it. I tried shoving a little grease around the shaft, which helped, but apparently I'd have to really load up the shaft area for it to work, and I wasn't sure how good of an idea that was.

So, any tip or tricks how to keep that sucker centered would be appreciated.

Thanks.

BlownFiveLiter · Nov 8, 2008

If you give it a good whack with your hand, it should drop right in. IIRC, the opening in the distributor shaft for the oil pump driveshaft is tapered, so it should engage it with little effort.

Bad92GT · Nov 9, 2008

Agreed. Give it a good shove (not with a hammer of course) and try and work it in.

hssnpny · Nov 12, 2008

Well, numerous attempts more, plenty of smacking and pounding, and no joy.

I'm still thinking it's due to the pump shaft flopping so far to the side, there is no way the dizzy shaft can slide over it.

So I'm back to thinking about jamming enough grease in there to hold the pump shaft upright. Is this a bad idea? Or is there another way to keep the pump shaft straight?

revhead347 · Nov 12, 2008

I think the grease is probably a good idea. As soon as the engine starts, the oil will wash all that grease out of there. I always install the distributer by putting an old rotor button on the top of the shaft. Slide the distributer down by pushing down on the rotor, while giving it a little clockwise motion action with your hand. The shaft of the distributer is going to rotate about 30 degrees to align the gears as it goes down.

Kurt

Bad92GT · Nov 12, 2008

The problem is the shaft shouldnt be moving to such a degree that it doesn't come close to even lining up. I'd be weary about the shaft itself.

hotcobra03 · Nov 12, 2008

Just a thought here.if you are lining up rotor in number 1 spot and trying to go straight down it wont go in.as oil shaft goes in than the gear starts and the rotor will move off of number one.its a wiggle and a twist .the base will adjust the rest.hope that helps

hssnpny · Nov 12, 2008

Revhead . . . can you explain your "rotor button" method a little more? When you say you put it on the shaft . . . do you mean the distributor shaft, or the pump shaft?

I don't think it's just a gear alignment issue. I gave up trying to hit my mark anymore, I'm just trying to see what it takes to get the thing to drop in. I've tried jiggling, wiggling, turning the base, turning the rotor, all while exterting considerable down force, pounding, etc. I have a knack for making the simplist things take forever. Since I'm still able to turn the rotor, I'm not far enough in to engage the cam gear . . . so I'm assuming it must contact the pump shaft just before it engages the gear.

hotcobra03 · Nov 13, 2008

Dumb question.is this the same dizzy that came out

hssnpny · Nov 13, 2008

Heh, not so dumb . . . I'm trying to put in a reman from autozone, it measures out identical to my original. I've also tried to drop the original back in, and get the same results.

revhead347 · Nov 13, 2008

Ok, I put an old rotor button in it's proper location on top of the distributer, simply because it's something large and flat to push down on. It is also connected directly to shaft which is what you are actually trying to line up with the gear anyway. It also gives you good leverage to twist the distributer as it goes in. Also, I leave the cap adapter (the large piece of plastic the cap mounts too) off, because it is bulky and gets in the way. It's easy to put on afterwards.

Hold the distributer in your left hand, and put your hand on top of the rotor. Line the distributer up with the whole, and drop it down as far as it will go without pressure. It should stick up from the bottom about an inch. Hold the distributer straight up with your left hand. Now, place your right hand over the rotor button in a fashion that allows you to push down. You can turn the distributer shaft back and forth just a little bit till you feel the shaft just kind of grab on a tooth. Push down with your right firmly while giving the rotor button a twisting motion to the right. It might take a little bit of jiggling, but it works for me everytime.

Kurt

hotcobra03 · Nov 13, 2008

Just a thought.and guess.oil shaft hex or slot?can anyone answer how many teeth on gear and sizes i will look to

revhead347 · Nov 13, 2008

Oil shaft is always a hex. I have no idea how many teeth are on the gear though.

Kurt

hotcobra03 · Nov 13, 2008

Cool it sounds like they arent pushing while twisting. Maybe when you feel gear grab a tap with something firmer than your palm

hssnpny · Nov 30, 2008

the saga continues . . .

In my ongoing efforts to get the replacement dizzy to drop in, I started slapping the dizzy harder. Still no luck getting it to drop that last inch. When pulling it back out, I was greeted with a clang, clang, clang sound . . . which, of course, the the oil pump shaft falling down into the engine. damn.

Where would the shaft have ended up? Is it likely that it's in the oil pan? If it is in the pan, can I just leave it there for now and try to put in another shaft? With my luck, I'll end up with a collection of shafts in the pan . . .

revhead347 · Dec 1, 2008

LOL, that really sucks big time. That is one of those things that sucks so bad, all you can do is start laughing violently. I would guess that the oil pump shaft was damaged in the first place, which is what caused the distributer to not fall into place the first time. Realistically, leaving the oil pump shaft in there is not going to damage anything. However, the oil pump shaft is suposed to have a little ring on it to keep it from popping out. In order to reinstall this ring, you have to take the oil pump off the bottom in order to put that pump shaft in. Also, getting that pump shaft to drop right into the oil pump from the top is a hole in one shot. I would pull the oil pan off and change the pump from the bottom. That's my opinion. Also, it will give you an opportunity to see what was wrong with the first oil pump shaft.

Kurt

hssnpny · Dec 7, 2008

revhead, you are quite right, when I heard the shaft drop, and looked down the dizzy hole in the block, and no shaft in sight, I just smiled, closed up the garage and watched an x-files.

And I think you were also right about the old shaft being damaged. I dropped in a new shaft using a telescoping magnet, primed the pump with a drill motor, and damn if the new dizzy didn't slide right in on the first try. Just little jiggle and it dropped. Car fired right up and is running fine.

It does bother me that I have a shaft lose in the pan, so I'll have to fix that one of these days when I'm bored.

maypo59 · Dec 9, 2008

It can't go anywhere or hurt anything. I would not worry about it at all. esp. with how much fun pulling the oil pan on a 5.0 is.

revhead347 · Dec 9, 2008

Yeah, I wouldn't worry about it either. It really can't hurt anything. Just keep in mind, that if you ever pull that distributer again, the shaft will probably pop up out of the oil pump and fall in the oil pan.

Kurt

GTA_V6_Mustang · Dec 14, 2008

I had that same exact problem too and it just took a little tlc and love taps to get it in. Using some assembly lube sounds like a good idea too though.

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