I bought my truck as a project and boy oh boy has it been one. When I bought it it didn't run. The guy I bought it from started tearing it apart thinking it was a head gasket but lost interest in it after he took all the vacuums and wires off where they go. I got it and figured out that it wasn't getting fire so I replaced the ignition switch and the key and tumbler. That didn't help so I replaced the coil and ignition module still no fire so I pulled my cap and had someone turn the key the distributor wasn't spinning so I pulled it out and found out that the roll pin had busted and the gear fell into the oil pan so I got it out. figured I would go ahead and replace the pick up coil while I had the distributor out. Waited 2 days to get the gear put it back together and dropped it in ran great for a few days went to start it and it wouldn't. Pulled my #1 plug out no fire. Took the cap off distributor wasn't spinning. Towed it home pulled the distributor the pin busted again. Got a new pin put it back in and fired right up for a few days. Can anyone guess what happened today? That's right the truck wouldn't start again pulled the cap and it's not spinning. Pulled the distributor and the gear is back in the oil pan. Can anyone please tell me what could cause the pin to keep breaking. I'm tired of doing this. Any help is greatly appreciated thanks

 

Did he (or somebody) install a high-volume oil pump at one time?

 

I don't think so

 

The distributor is driven by a gear on the camshaft; this gear turns not only the distributor but also the oil pump, and so I had to ask.

Could be the gear on the distributor itself is just worn out, there is too much clearance and there is binding as a result.

Could be the bearing in the distributor is heating up and causing excessive resistance, causing that pin to break (it breaking means it's doing its job).

Could be that the oil was never changed and all the old crud that accumulates in those cases is keeping the distributor from turning freely.

Could be that it's horribly out of time and backfiring and that stress is enough to break that pin.

Could be the oil pump is seizing up for some reason.

You can get a re-manufactured distributor from a parts store for less than $100 I'd bet, that might be what you need....

 

Here is a thread from the inline 6 engine forum.

https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...-gear-pin.html

Jim

 

Yeah I know the pin breaking means it's doing its job. And I changed the oil when I got the truck when I had to pull the oil pan to get the original gear out of it. But I bought a new gear when I did it the first time. I'll change the oil pump and look into a new distributor because I'm getting tired of dropping the oil pan and redoing the same thing over and over. Thanks for the help and I'll let you know the out come

 

Makes me wonder if you're using the correct gear... yes, please let us know what you find!

 

I removed my oil pan got the gear out and there is no marks on the gear I'm going to order a new distributor this weekend and try that also going to replace my oil pump just to be sure that's not the issue