Continued nightmares with my distributor, 1972 350 Cutlass. I wanted to remove it, but it is stuck.


I removed and replaced this distributor 2 weeks ago with a newly, rebuilt distributor from NAPA, so it isn't a case of it's been in there for 42 years. It had a new O-ring, but I did not apply any oil or lube to it. Yes, I removed the hold down bolt and the retainer. It comes out about 1/8 or 1/4 of an inch and will come no further.


I suspect the O-ring is hung up, or so tight it won't let it come out. I have twisted, pulled, jerked and tried to pry it out, but it's stuck. I have pushed it back in fully and tried again, but it stops at the same place.


Any ideas or suggestions? Could the cam gear pinch the distributor gear? I'm about worn out on a seemingly simple job!

 

Your distributor should have a square portion on the body that you can slip a wrench on to. You can work it back and forth with additional leverage and it should come out. It's a lot easier to hold the wrench rather than the distributor. That's what I had to do on one that had not been removed since new.

 

oil pump drive rod can get stuck in gear so bad that pulling harder pulls the toothed washers off the drive rod, and/or breaks the distributor.

Can you remove the oil pan for access, or too much hassle?
Have another dist'r on hand in case you break this one removing it.

maybe try tapping on the top of the dist'r shaft, and/or rotationally on its shaft, in an effort to separate the gear from the oil pump drive rod.

 

It is definitely the damnedest thing I've ever seen. The old one came out with very little effort 2 weeks ago. I put oil on the distributor gear and installed it. It went in all but the final 1/4 inch, but a little wiggling and turning of the distributor and it went down all the way.


Obviously, dropping the oil pan is a lot more time consuming than just removing the distributor, and I hope I can get it out before I have to resort to that. The only reason I wanted to pull it was to install and adjust the clearances for a new Pertronix unit.


I discovered this morning that the resistor wire has been changed to 12 volts full time, so it won't run long on points unless I change that or use the Pertronix.


Seems like the simple jobs can sometimes turn into a cluster****. I may just put the Pertronix in without removing, and adjust it on the car.

 

Just use a block of wood under the body and a hammer, tap lightly in the up direction alternating sides..

 

I once did a reluctant one by applying a symmetric upward forcewhile rotating. After getting it out, do something to help future removals.

 

I struggled with it for 2 hours, and said the hell with it. It is a newly rebuilt distributor. The only reason I wanted to remove it was to install and adjust the Pertronix unit. It is much easier on the bench than leaning over the fender.


It turns in either direction, and can do a 360 if I want with the vacuum advance removed. After it comes up that 1/4 inch, it stops.


I installed and adjusted the Pertronix without removing the distributor. It started right up and runs perfectly again. Maybe as the oil gets on the rubber O-ring, it will loosen up if I have to remove it down the road. Or I will drop the pan and remove the oil pump drive shaft.


Thanks for the ideas and suggestions.

 

To quote from Eric above"

"There is nothing that can't be solved with a suitable amount of explosives!"

Glad you got it going. I love Pertronix and just put one in my 54 this week.

 

I installed and adjusted the Pertronix without removing the distributor. It started right up and runs perfectly again.
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good call


Maybe as the oil gets on the rubber O-ring, it will loosen up if I have to remove it down the road.
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If it rotates and lifts, the O-ring IS NOT a problem. Shaft is stuck in gear.


Or I will drop the pan and remove the oil pump drive shaft.
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If shaft is stuck in gear, you are still hosed. After removing the oil pump you can drive the shaft, and thus the dist'r, upwards, stripping off the two retainers that are on the shaft and preventing removal at this time. You will then have a shaft/ distributor assembly which you can work on at the bench. The dist'r will not be broken. If it's a common dist'r, don't bother; if it's a $1200 W30 number.... bother.
The oil pump drive rod gets worn on the hex peaks where the gear contacts it, then gets stuck in the gear. The newer dist'r, having a gear not match worn to the worn shaft, evidently got jammed when pressed into service.

For now, don't worry about it anymore. It may never need to come out again.