I know this is an old post but Thanks for all the input. Several years ago the points did go bad and left me stranded with little warning. I was about 10 miles from home when the engine started to run poorly on the highway then... as I got into town and had to stop for stop lights it would not idle and would knock off. I would restart it and get to the next light and it’d knock again. After this happened 2-3 times it just knocked off and would not restart. Fortunately, another Olds enthusiast saw me stranded and stopped to help. He installed new points on the spot and I drove it home without issue. But... I vowed then to go electronic ignition. But... The distributor is stuck in the engine so I’d instaledl a hei kit. Numerous attempts my me and several mechanics have failed to budge the shaft from the block. Otherwise I would have put a new MSD distributor in it.

Recent Update... I replaced the Accel hei kit with pertronix hei kit. I still have a rough idle problem and installing a newly rebuilt Q-Jet has not solved the problem. The pertronix runs fine but did not resolve rough idle issue. However, Yesterday I took the distributor cap off and noticed the center contact on the rotor button had unusual wear pattern. Instead of wearing a single spot in the center of the contact tab, it has a circular pattern. See pic. I’m thinking the distributor is worn to the point where it is now wobbling As it rotates. Could this cause rough idle??? The engine was rebuilt by the restorer in ‘89 at 128k miles. I bought it in ‘03 with 133k miles, it now has 153k miles. So if my worn-out, “wobbling” theory is correct the dist will have to be replaced. But... it’s still stuck and I really don’t want to pull the engine to get the damn thing out. Anybody else have this problem? Better yet, any anybody have a solution for cause of rough idle??? Thanks, Roqetman.

 

Rogetman, that rotor looks worn but I wouldn't call the wear pattern abnormal. I've never heard of a distributor wearing to the point that it wobbles. You mentioned that you couldn't remove the distributor. Please clarify, what distributor does your Olds currently have?

BTW, I moved your post to a new thread. Hopefully more folks see it this way.

 

What is the condition of the cap? Any signs of arcing?

 

The distributor is GM points type that i presume is original to the engine with separate coil. I’m not sure about arcing... what are the tell-tale signs of that?

 

First, you aren't the first to have a stuck distributor. Can it be rotated to adjust timing? If so, then its probably the oil pump shaft that its stuck on or/and varnish at the base. You need to spray the base with penetrant and then hammer on the underside of the distributor to persuade it to pop out.

Second the accel and pertronix are points replacement packages and are not an HEI. Caps and rotors are inexpensive to replace, a new wire set and spark plugs may be in order also.

Can you wiggle the distributor shaft from side to side with your hand? The bushings inside the distributor can wear out.

 

The distributor cannot be rotated to adjust timing. As I recall it is set at 12 BTDC and GM spec is 10 BTDC. I have sprayed PB blaster and let sit overnight and tapped dist base with pry bar and hammer to no avail. The cap and rotor and plugs wires are Relatively new, 8.5 mm wires. I pulled the plugs, cleaned them and they’re all gapped at 40. Yes, i can move the dist shaft side to side with my hand but... I’m not sure how much play is acceptable. The wear pattern on the rotor button seems to indicate to me that the dist shaft is wobbling, leaving a circular pattern. Should it not show a single point of contact with dist cap button? Timing light flash pattern is also odd... almost like a double, weak flashes instead of a strong single flash when firing. And to add to this problem... the newly rebuilt Q-jet has a accelerator pump that sticks some of the time... but I’m going to change it out with a new one.

 

When I first got my car the distributor would not come out. I used a chain type oil filter wrench to persuade it to turn and then I hammered it out by smacking around the bottom of the distributor to force it up. You can also attach a slide hammer to it and yank it out. Force is the only way to get it out. It has a varnish build up around the base that needs to be broken free.

 

Sounds like it’s hammer time. Break it if necessary, if you have side to side play in the distributor the bushings
are likely worn. This will cause the timing to fluctuate. Was a common problem with molar slant 6 engines
not so much on gm vehicles but everything wears out eventually.

 

And a Pertronix can and may leave you dead somewhere in the sticks if the module gives out and as with out as much as a stutter. I've had my bad luck with Pertronix others have gone thousands of miles with no issues. All and all points ain't all that bad.... Tedd

 

I’m going to try to get it to move with the chain type oil filter wrench, that’s on the list of things to try. I borrowed one from a friend last week but haven’t tried it yet. Thanks!

 

Thanks but... i really don’t want to break it off in the engine. Don’t won’t to go there, it’s not that bad as is.

 

Wait, did I read you have .040in gap on your plugs? Set it back to .030 or .035in and see what happens.

 

Do it with the engine warmed, there is an oring around the base of the distributor that will not allow penetrant past it. Just keep trying to work it back and forth, it will eventually break loose.

 

You should be able to muscle it out if you can get it to rotate with the oil filter strap wrench. Good luck!

 

I thought 40-45 was recommended for pertronix kits but that’s easy enough to try and see if it improves.

 

.040 is the correct gap listed for 71-74 engines up until the HEI was introduced.

 

I know this is a loaded questions ‘cause opinions are like belly buttons but... what spark plugs are recommended for stock 350 Olds? My top three would be AC Delco, NGK, Autolite.

 

ACR45s or R46s, or equivalent cross reference