Is there any steps to removing the distributor from my olds 350? I tried taking it out but it won't.

 

Use your favorite penetrating product like PB Blaster, Kroil, etc. and soak it for a few days. The rubber O ring can get gummed up or if its been in the weather the aluminum housing can be corroded and that can make it stiff to remove. Once you've soaked it well just try and work it so it will rotate, then start pulling up. John

 

Did you remove the hold down clamp first?

 

A well placed block of wood and a hammer lightly tapping upwards alternating around the underside of the distributor. You probably have some varnish in there.

 

There are several potential causes of a stuck distributor. The first is the combination of an aluminum distributor body in a cast iron block. Galvanic corrosion can occur between the dissimilar metals. If the distributor rotates but does not come out, this is not the problem.

Second is a hardened o-ring gasket on the distributor. This unfortunately only responds to brute force. Try soaking with penetrating oil, but don't be surprised if it has no effect.

Third is a buildup of carbon on the bottom of the distributor housing. As with the o-ring, try soaking to loosen the deposits.

Finally, assuming the housing is loose, the oil pump drive shaft often gets wedged in the distributor gear. The drive shaft has a pressed-on retainer at the bottom that is a temporary restraint to hold the shaft in place during engine assembly. If this is the problem, you'll have to slowly work the distributor up and walk the retainer off the bottom of the shaft. The shaft will come out with the distributor and the retainer will fall into the bottom of the pan. Don't worry about it. The retainer is not required once the oil pump and distributor are in place, so you don't need a new one either.

 

I had this problem on my 67. I had to force it out as the O-ring had hardened as others mentioned. It also had a fair amount of varnished oil on it as well. I pulled it out using two lady finger prybars. Not for the faint of heart, but it came out in one piece and the new one dropped right in.

Tim

 

I can get it to rotate and pull up a bit maybe half an inch but it won't budge beyond that. It is a newer hei aluminium shaft as well. I'll try and use a 2x4 and try to pry it. Thanks everyone for a quick reply

 

I don't like to pry as it pushes it over to one side. A hammer and a thin piece of wood or plastic works well. Hammer around close to the center of the housing. If it moves up a 1/2 inch it does not have that far to go.

 

another possibility...
the cam and dizzy gears have carbon/varnish/smegma buildup on them, and this is causing side-loading of the dizzy as you try to pull it. rotate the crankshaft back and forth somewhat as you try to pull the dizzy.
careful with the prying/beating, it isn't hard to snap the dizzy body, but, if you do, i have them NOS(HEI).


bill

 

I had to beat my distributor out also. A block of wood and hitting it all around it made it come out with no damage.

 

It's the old hard a s a rock seal on the dist, soak the heck out of it with penetrating oil and I have several times had to resort to a crow bar to get them out.

 

ok thanks all!!

 

It's unusual to find in a mechanic's toolbox, but a good old fashioned hard wood meat tenderizing mallet does a great job when you need to 'persuade' something with enough force and shock to get it's attention, but a soft enough face to not break it.

 

got it!! just some elbow grease and pry bar!! thanks

 

Now you just have to enjoy trying to get it back in

 

Once you put a new oring on it it goes it real easy, put a little grease on the oring before installing.