miked

Hi guys..been away for a while working on my Nova SS convertible project. I'm trying to get my rebuilt 67 E-block ready to install. I'm having weird problem with distributor. I am trying to install a 425 (111151) and it doesn't want to go all the way into the block. It looks to be same as the original dist and goes into block but "bottoms out" with about 1/16" to go. I have a HEi that goes in fine with no problem. Also a dummy dist housing without gear goes in no problem. Just asking to make sure there is no difference in the 425 dist to cause this. I will change out the gear tomorrow to see if maybe the gear hex is damaged and too tight for oil pump extension. As is said. the hei drops right in no problem. Sorry but I am visually challenged so hard to see these things. Thanks!

Octania

That is a 442 application number I believe.

I have heard rumor of differences along the 67/68 split, but tend to not believe that.

It should go right on in. There is always some difficulty getting the oil pump drive hex to engage the gear- bumping the engine may be necessary.

You could measure the two distributors' features with say calipers and see if there are any differences- depth of hex cavity in bottom of gear, distance from housing flange seat to bottom of gear, etc.

Make sure when in all the way the shaft can still be lifted a little- has end play. If your gear is bottoming out on the block at the bottom or on the oil pump drive rod, then you will have no shaft end play.

Remove the gear from the one that won't go in and see if it seats properly then.

if so, put the HEI gear onto it and see if the problem persists.

If not, issue resolved.

MDchanic

I'm wondering if there's something inside the hex recess that's preventing the oil pump drive from bottoming.
If you have a spare oil pump drive shaft, it's easy to check.
If not, you could try to pull out the one you've got if you've got a really long pair of needlenose pliers.
If you can't do that, you could see of a 5/16" allen wrench will seat on the recess.

- Eric

oldcutlass

Try backing it out and go one tooth back or forward.

miked

thanks guys for all the input....this is really weird but today I took a 5/16 bolt and tried to put it into the dist gear hex and sure 'nough, it would not go in far, thought it was carbon build up or such. Got to messing around and using a gem clip I was able to pull out a piece of fabric, about 1 inch wide and 5 " or so long, folded and pushed into the hex. Why in heck would someone do that or am I missing some big builder "secret"? Anyway after removing that the dist. now goes in as it should. Thanks again for the help!


Next question, do the stock exhaust manifolds have any kind of do-nut or sealer to the head pipes? I have a set of Thornton repo manifolds and Gardner pipes. The service manual doesn't show enough detail and Gardner does not list anything. Do they just bolt up without any gasket or whatever? I'm getting rid of the currently installed headers on the G block I'm replacing.

MDchanic

As I suspected.


No. None.

- Eric

Octania

.this is really weird but today I took a 5/16 bolt and tried to put it into the dist gear hex and sure 'nough, it would not go in far, thought it was carbon build up or such. Got to messing around and using a gem clip I was able to pull out a piece of fabric, about 1 inch wide and 5 " or so long, folded and pushed into the hex. Why in heck would someone do that or am I missing some big builder "secret"? Anyway after removing that the dist. now goes in as it should. Thanks again for the help!
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Well, hell. I would not have guessed that. what is a gem clip? bottom line is the recess was too shallow in the gear bottom. Now make sure your dist'r housing seats right on the block [no paper gasket] and then leaves the shaft with end play



Next question, do the stock exhaust manifolds have any kind of do-nut or sealer to the head pipes? I have a set of Thornton repo manifolds and Gardner pipes. The service manual doesn't show enough detail and Gardner does not list anything. Do they just bolt up without any gasket or whatever? I'm getting rid of the currently installed headers on the G block I'm replacing.

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probably no donut. flanged pipe to flared manifold. Use factory type beasty pipe clamp collars, not the lame flat metal type. Abit of sealer if u prefer .

miked

Thanks Octania! That's what I thought. The Gardner repo collars are very hefty and should work just fine. Also there are no collar studs in the manifolds so I am planning to use brass bolts OK?
That cloth baffles me...wonder if it's some trick to keep the oil pump shaft from coming up out of pump if the washers were to fail (??)
Oh, Gem is old brand name for paper clips.

miked

thanks much mdchanic

Octania

Thanks Octania! That's what I thought. The Gardner repo collars are very hefty and should work just fine. Also there are no collar studs in the manifolds so I am planning to use brass bolts OK?
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Stainless if rust is a concern, or grade 8 bolts otherwise.


That cloth baffles me...wonder if it's some trick to keep the oil pump shaft from coming up out of pump if the washers were to fail (??)
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Sounds like Chevy voodoo.
Chevy cam pushes the dist'r gear UP against the dist'r housing
an idiotic design, if you ask me
Olds cam pushes the gear DOWN, where its thrust [axial] load is taken up by sitting on a machined flat surface in the block. You can see the contact marks on the bottom of your gears. NO GOOD can come from forcing the Olds dist'r gear upwards for any reason. That's worse than the Chevy design idiocy.


Oh, Gem is old brand name for paper clips.
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Oh, I see. Like a glorified version of
http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/4-Pc-...item2edc37660d

miked

Yep, you got it!
Good info on the dist too...I appreciate it.

MDchanic

Or, maybe someone started with the oil pump drive out of the engine (like maybe it pulled out when they pulled the distributor), and used a piece of cloth to jam it into place in the distributor so that it would stay in as they guided the distributor into place, then, with several jillion rotations, it got all wadded up above instead of around the hex.

Glad you got it fixed, either way.

- Eric

miked

Sounds like a definite possibility. This one really threw me a curve. Dist does drop in easily now and seats into block like it should, right on number 1, and is free to turn for adjusting. Thanks again for all your help and info.

MDchanic

Too many cooks may spoil the broth, but two heads are better than one.

- Eric

BlackGold

One G-body Olds I owned once lost all oil pressure. Upon disassembly I found that the supposedly hardened oil pump drive shaft was worn so that -- over a very narrow band -- the hex was circular. In other words, the female hex mating surface of the bottom of the distributor was only maybe an eigth of an inch wide, even though the total depth was much more. Having found that, I replaced the drive shaft, of course. But a cheaper b*stard might have shoved a piece of cloth up inside the distributor shaft to simply reposition the oil pump drive shaft, making hex-to-hex contract again. It's a theory.

miked

Hey Brian you just might be on to something there. Makes sense to me. The drive hex looks good and 5/16 socket fits snug so I think I will put new gear on dist. just in case. Thanks much for the theory...might just save me a new engine.