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got a 78 ford with a 351m. having trouble getting the distributor back in. its getting hung up on the oil pump shaft. any tricks to getting it to seat. the shaft wont stay in the middle, it likes leans to a side. thanks
Place it in position and with your hand pressing down on it lightly ,have somebody turn the key in to start position and just bump it. Works good,i have done it probably 100 times though out the years. I actually have a remote starter switch i can use by myself as i stand in front of it. Be sure to have it in park and or hand brake set,don't want to run over yourself. I remove the coil wire from the dist. and coil when i do it.
well it ended up being the oil pump shaft came out of the oil pump, had to pull the pan to find out. now i put it on tdc on number one cylinder set the distributor and turn the key. boom! sounded like a 12ga shotgun went off. cant get the distributor timed rite any suggestions or tips to getting it timed?
Yep, I agree with the 180 timing being off. Keep at it,you'l get it. When you hold your hand on the top of the dizzy you will feel it drop in,don't have to turn it much. good luck. JIM
1st i know exactly how frustrateing it is when your oil pump drive rod falls in the pan especialy when u have to jack the engine up to drop the pan. second isnt somewhere around 8 degrees before tdc where you want your #1 cylender fireing?
i hear ya on the pump shaft rod. i cant even get it started to adjust the timing. all it does is backfire and make shotgun blast out the tailpipe. i took the valve cover off and watch the valves. I felt the air compress came up to 0 degrees on my timing marks, set the dizzy to number one. No start, its so frustrating.
here's an update got my timing down. It was 180 degrees off like you guys said. the only thing that sucks is i think i blown my head gasket, what looks to be antifreeze coming out of number 5 cylinder in the front part next to the water pump. so this sucks