Should I have to tap on the new distributor to get it in? The old one was a tight fit and I measured both with calipers when the new one didn't slide right in... pretty close so I assumed the difference was just due to wear. But I've got the new one (remanufactured) about half way in and I can't imagine this thing turning once it's in.

They had two listed for my truck (302 / auto) - dual vac advance and single. The dual was out of stock and mine has been convered to single anyway... I assumed the only difference was the vacuum advance. I also measured from the mount base to the base of the gear... both were the same there. Same # of teeth on the gears...

 

Put a little white grease on the round machined part.

You have probably just contacted the Oil Pump rod.

Sometimes you just have to wiggle your ears and grunt 3 times while you are trying to hit the slot just right.

What ever you do > Don't get mad at it.
Stay calm.

 

Nah, I'm not that far in yet. I'm was having trouble getting the fat part just above the gear... the very first part of the casting ... even started through the intake hole.

Shouldn't be that hard... right?

 

Yes, it should fit right in.

What is the number on that distributor?

????-12127-??

 

I'm already @ work... have to get it to you this afternoon. Do you already know what the other numbers -should- be?

 

You may have some carbon buildup down inside causing problems. Might take a look down inside with a flashlight to see if it is, as I've seen this on more than one occasion. (Been lucky myself, knock-on-wood!)

Just something to check, if the #'s come up correct.

 

I agree, it should go easily until you encounter the pump shaft. At that point it is a wiggle, jiggle, dance, squint and curse affair.

Do not use the bolt in the dizzy retainer to tighten it down. This is a good way to bend and/or dislodge the pump shaft. Personal experience.

I just reinstalled my MSD dizzy after the magnetic pickup quit. I was ready to give up and then it fell into place.

 

Here goes, I have a 12127 embossed at the top. Then REMFG LA A3 is stamped on it. Looks like the entire part number is in raised letters on the shaft part of the housing... hard to read but maybe -
E2A372131-DA


The old distributor was -
C8OF-12131 then 17 below that. It's an Autolite unit, the replacement is a Motorcraft.

 

Update: I got the new one out and re-measured it and the old one. Both are 1.5" at the base but the old one has a machined finish on the base where the new one does not. Of course being cast it's a pretty rough surface on it. Wondering if it should be machined or is it common for remans not to be?

 

I just ran into this exact same problem -- I picked up a reman electronic distributor for my 302 -- and it wouldn't go in! I ran my micrometer around the base and found that it had a few "bumps" on it. Apparently, when they clamped it in the vise to tear it down and rebuild it they made the raised portions that went beyond the ID of the distributor hole. I probably could have marked them and ground them down but I exchanged it for another unit that dropped right in.

Chris Seay
Bealeton, Va
'49 F-1s
'68 F-100

 

When you buy reman. parts you are not getting OEM quality. I used all 4 distributors the NAPA warehouse had once and they all had bent shafts. When I would loosen the holddown while running they just wormed around. I found a used one out of a derilict van and it worked fine. After 30 years of wrenching I can't emphasize enough to avoid over the counter remanufactured parts if at all possible. Any components that they replace are the cheapest foreign stuff they can buy.
This does not always apply to local rebuilders. I have used some local starter and alternator services that were great. It costs more to get better stuff and you are better off with a used part than an over the counter reman. like NAPA, CarQuest, Shucks ect.
And reman carbs should be avoided all together. You would be lucky to get one out of 4 or 5 that work right.

 

My own personal experience with NAPA re-man parts is completely different than yours, willowbilly3.

My local NAPA has recently supplied me with reman carb, distributor, P/S pump, P/S Bendix box and water pump. I have been completely happy with every part.

The only bad luck I've had with parts lately has been a new radiator that had shipping damage to the filler neck, and a series of new voltage regulators from Schucks that all overcharged the battery. I ended up with a transistorised voltage regulator from NAPA that worked perfectly.

Back on topic slightly, my reman distributor was not a tough fit in my 390, but that's a different motor to your 302. On mine, too, it looked like part was machined on the old unit (it was shiny) but cast or maybe just painted on the new one. It still wasn't a tough fit though.

Kevin

 

I guess I just got a lot pickier because when you take somebody's money to do it comebacks for substandard parts leaves you bitter. It's bad for business and ruins your profit. I have had to send back 3 and 4 reman parts and still not get one that worked. NAPA doesn't actually do their own. They just put them out on contract and you may get good parts in a line then get a whole batch that are bad.
I usually don't have much problems with water pumps but have had a couple that had bent shafts. The new ones just aren't that much more money if you plan to have your truck long term. I went through 3 of their P/S pumps on my 72 in a year. They never stopped working but they just got to making a lot of noise. I have only ever bought one reman steering box. It was for my suburban, I got it from NAPA and I really don't think it was much tighter than the wore out one.. I usually do my own. The whole kit from ford used to be around $40-$50. I ruined one learning how to put all the ***** in right though. It was on my own truck and a ball got down in the bottom. Usually all they need is seals, but since the pitman bushing is just machined into the casting it is a bit tough to get the side play out. The remans replace one of the spacers in the seal pack with a "bushing" so your reman box now has a bushing wearing on just 1/4 inch of the pitman shaft instead of the inch and a half it originally had. If you take it to a machine shop and have it machined for a roller bearing like the chevys use you will have a better box than Ford ever put in stock.
I went through 4 voltage regulators in a year. 2 from NAPA, a Standard ignition and a Bluestreak. I finally bought a new one from Ford. It has been on my truck for over 10 years now working perfectly.
If you are on a budget or they are just convienient, roll the dice. Me, I only want Ford parts on my Ford and it took me a lot of years to make that choice. But if it's a car or truck I am just fixing up to sell I will use whatever works, you can't recoup the exta cost then.
And I am not really down on NAPA in particular. I have dealt with them more than anyone else in the last 10 years. We had a good store with guys I knew well woring there. Now they sold out and all the old guys are gone. I cant' just walk in and turn my own rotors and drums any more, bummer.

 

I like napa more than advanced and auto-zone, because in there, i have to wait in line forever and tell them if my truck is LWB or SWB to get a distrib. o-ring. (i am not kidding) At Napa i can say "i need a intake gasket for a 302" and he will say "before 1986?" and I will say "yes" and he will come back with the part. Back to the topic- when I replaced the above mentioned O-ring, i couldn't get mine down all the way either, But it turns out that the cap hold-down spring clip thing on the back was hitting the intake and all I had to do was move that so it pointed up like it was clipped on and it slid almost right in. I still had to "wiggle my ears" and all.