Arg... Got the top end of my friends 66 all torn down to install the new intake... But I cannot get the distributor out. Pulled the hold down bracket & bolt, I cannot see anything interfearing on the back of the block, but it only comes up about 1 1/2"-2" then stops. When lifted up i can spin the rotor all the way around, so i know its disengaged from the oil pump & cam... But why won't it come out. I've tried spinning it, tried wiggling it, tried pulling it, tried tapping on it...

Anyone else ever had this problem? I've never pulled an olds distributor before, so maybe i'm missing something obvious.

1970 455 F block w/ an GM HEI

Thanks-
Ben

 

Try a large adjustable wrench of the square part of the shaft. You will need to rotate back and forth while pushing up. I always thought that's what it was meant for! See below. It's worked for me before. Good luck!

 

You can soak it with penetrant and push it back down and keep repeating the penetrant soak....while moving it up and down.

OR

Use a small hammer and a block of wood and tap it straight up. There is some vanish buildup thats preventing it from coming all the way out.

 

its probably a ring of carbon built up that's locking the distributor in the engine. penetrating oil & rotating it while pulling up should unlock it.

 

The oil pump drive shaft is stuck in the distributor gear and you are hitting the little retainer ring on the bottom of the boss in the block. You will need to keep forcibly pulling up on the distributor until you walk the retainer off the end of the oil pump drive shaft. Yes, it will drop into the oil pan.

 

Thanks for the responses guys... unfortunatly Joe's reponse has me kinda freaked.


So are you basically telling me that because this is stuck, I'm going to wind up pulling this motor(to retreive parts from the pan & re-install) in order to pull out a distributor?

If thats the case, i'll just drop it back down in place w/o removing it, and figure out how to install the intake w/o removing the distributor.

My friend will not be happy if this intake swap turns into an engine pull.

 

This is very common. The retainer ring is not required for operation, it's just an assembly aid to keep the oil pump driveshaft in place when the engine is upside down on an engine stand without the distributor in place. Leave the driveshaft stuck in the distributor and just put it back together when you're done. The retainer ring is small and will fall to the bottom of the oil pan. Everyone just leaves it there.

 

Ok. Whew. Had me scared.

So is this the ring you are referring to?


Ok. So a little more force and we'll have er out.
awesome.
Thanks so much for the info.

 

Yup, that's it. As I said, all that ring does is keep the oil pump driveshaft off the floor during assembly.