I'm having some issues with points style distributors failing on my 74 360.
I have just replaced my 4th dizzy(lifetime warranty)in under 300 miles and now I have NO oil pressure at all.
The engines runs like a champ and then all of sudden it just flat out starts running like the timing is out of whack ,backfires and then won't start.
Here are the things I do know.
Before I changed out my latest dizzyI looked down into the hole where on the intake manifold and notice that the six sided shaft that goes into the dizzy was not centered and was loose which made inserting the new dizzy difficult to seat.
My points are set at .017 and the timing is not exact but close,I don't want to run the engine to get the timing perfect as of now since I have no oil pressure.
Here are the questions I have.
Why do I keep having to replace Disrributors?What would make them go crap.
And has the oil pump shaft broken and not working the oil pump now?
Thanks for any info on this these is really weird

 

Check the voltage on the primary side of the coil with the engine running. It should be around 6-7 volts. If it's higher than that, you could be burning the points up.
As for the oil pressure. Be sure the oil pump drive shaft is engaged in the bottom of the distributor shaft and that the distributor is all the way down.

 

Do I have to pull the oil pan off in order to get to the oil pump shaft?It is lying down in the bottom of the oil pan.
Or can I buy a new shaft and install it with the dizzy.I have heard of this method before.
Melt some wax or grease the shaft into the dizzy shaft and insert it that way.

 

To be honest, I'm not sure. I think you could do it that way but personally I've never done it.
The original set up had a small star washer on the oil pump driveshaft that would keep the shaft from lifting up when the distributor was removed. The driveshaft was placed in the pump, then the pump was installed.
Quite often these star washers are missing and the shaft can stick in the bottom of the distributor and pull up when the distributor is removed

 

Shaft is defiantly down on the pan.If I wanted to remove the pan to get it would I need to jack the engine up or can I remove the pan by just unbolting it?
What method would you recommend?

 

Dizzy shaft in bottom of pan is laying flat, can be left there since it's not hurting anything. Ford techs never removed oil pans to get them out.

B8AZ-6A618-A .. Dizzy Shaft is the same for all 1958/76 FE's installed in 1958/71 cars and 1965/76 trucks.

The shaft comes with the star washer, was also available by itself (B8A-6629-A). The 6 'prongs' of the "wavy" washer fit up against the shaft to lock it in place.

 

Got the new shaft at Autzone for $11 and put it back in by taking 2 straws from Wendy's and inserting one over the shaft and the other over the other straw making it one long straw.
Once the shaft is in the oil pump I blew air into the straw and slowly lifted it off and out.
Then took the straw and and dipped some grease on it and put it at the top of the shaft to help center it.Once it was centered I dropped the dizzy in I set the timing etc,etc and it is running like it should with great oil pressure.
Hope that example can help someone in the future.

Next I'm going to check the voltage at the coil to see why I'm going through distributors and Ill give an update.Its still a mystery why Im going through them.
Which side is the primary?
The post going to the coil or the ignition?