Hi, Feel stupid asking this, but I can't figure out how to get the distributor out of my 455. Took the hold down key off and the distributor will lift up about a quarter of an inch but sticks at that point. Shouldn't this thing just lift out?

 

You have to play with it a bit. It's hanging up on the O-Ring on the shaft. Just work it up and down turning the rotor back and forth to help it. It takes a little brute force sometimes, but it will eventually come.

 

Welcome aboard

I see Randy has ya straight

 

The O-ring between the body and the block gets hard, and coupled with corrosion in the distributor bore above it, the O-ring gets stuck. Liberal application of penetrating oil (followed by waiting for it to soak in) will help.

The other problem is that the oil pump driveshaft gets stuck in the distributor drive gear. The pump shaft has a pressed on sheet metal retainer that prevents it from coming up in the block. If it's not the O-ring, then you'll need to brute force the distributor and attached pump driveshaft out of the block, all the while sliding the retainer down the pump shaft. Yes, it will eventually fall into the oil pan. Unfortunately there's nothing you can do about it, short of pulling the motor.

 

Thanks everyone. Got it out. Brute force and a crow bar. But the oil pump shaft came out with it. Looks like this is another brute force candidate. Didn't see the metal retainer on the shaft so am I to assume it fell into the oil pan? Does this retainer need to be replaced or can I put the pump shaft on the new distributor and install it without it? If not can it be replaced from under the car with the oil pan off?

What started as a simple conversion over to electronic ignition with a new distributor and coil has turned into a real chore. Discovered that the intake gasket was leaking when I pulled out one of the bolts holding down the original coil strap in the intake. Antifreeze came out. So had to pull of the intake. Thing weighs a ton. Think I'm gonna spring for a new lighter weight edelbrock intake while I've got it all apart. Hoping that the stock Q Jet will bolt on and all the linkages will be at least close.

 

Murphy's Law if anything can go wrong it will. Good luck Andy

 

You can not put the retainer back on for the top. That is why the distributor came out so hard, as the shaft was stuck to the distributor gear, and it was sliding the keeper off as you pulled the distributor out. I don't think you can get the pan off with the motor in the car to get to the oil pump to reinstall the shaft with the keeper. I have also had this happen to me, just put the shaft back in form the top, make sure it goes in the pump.

 

Since the retainer obviously doesn't keep the shaft in the block when you pull the distributor, the only reason it's even there is to keep the oil pump drive shaft in the block when you have it upside down on an engine stand to bolt on the oil pump and pan. The assembly sequence is the oil pump drive shaft goes in the block first, with the retainer temporarily holding it in place. Then the pump goes on, then the pan, THEN you flip the motor right side up. Once the distributor is in place, the shaft is captured and can't go anywhere. Just put it back together. If you are changing the distributor, you need to CAREFULLY put the shaft into the block from the top and turn it to engage the oil pump.

 

Oh God, I hate it when this happens.
The clip also locates the shaft, shaft being about 1/2 shorter than the distance the pump, and dist gear spans.
The only real way to assemble correctly is to assemble with the shaft going in from the bottom of the engine, with the clippy-do's that you lost. If you try to assemble from the top, the shaft will not engage the distributor gear, and you will have NO oil pressure.
The one time I tried to get around this, I got bit.
Jim

 

Like "Warhead" said, it goes in from the bottom and then the pump, and the pan. If you buy a NEW oil pump shaft it will have the clip retainer on it. So use the shaft you took out and you have to insert it from the top. Just make sure it is in the oil pump drive, before you install the distributor. Use a 5/16 socket and a ratchet or a drill motor and extension and turn the pump to make sure you have it in.
Gene

 

Holy Crankshaft Batman - this sounds like a nightmare unfolding!!

 

Thanks to all for your advice. Ended up putting the new oil pump shaft in the new distributor and locking it into place with thread locker. Then put the whole assembly back in the way it came out. Lined up fine and didn't lose the shaft. Just gotta put the new intake back on and hook everything back up and I'll be back on the road.