Anyone ever have their distributor freeze up? Mine did. I have a 292 in my 55 F350. Had to pull the intake manifold and then pry the distributor up while bumping the engine over. Upon inspection there were three teeth broken off on the distributor and then 2 teeth broken on the cam shaft.

So far I've got the truck up on the lift and draining fluids. Tomorrow I plan on taking the oil pan and pump off to see if I can locate the broken teeth. Also, plan on taking the distributor apart to see what bound up.

I've already ordered a new distributor. Guess I'm also in the market for a new cam shaft.

 

Was the engine running recently, or is this a "barn find", "ran when parked"? The shafts on distributors can be varnished/gunked up enough to freeze them. Condensation from the crankcase doesn't help.

 

Distributer also drives the oil pump are you sure its the distributer ?

 

What shape is your engine in? This may be a time for a refresh or rebuild.
If you’re installing a new cam, install new lifters. I’d also replace the timing set while I was doing a cam and lifter swap.
If you’re planning to change the cam you’ll probably do better pulling the engine and turning it upside down. Y Block lifters are installed from the cam side of the engine (not drop ins like most cars today). I’m not saying you can’t fish the lifters in to place from the bottom (with the oil pan off) but most that have tried say never again.
If you don’t change the lifters you can pull them up and hold them with cloths pins.
Probably not what you wanna hear BUT.

 

No this isn't a barn find. I was driving the truck when I heard what sounded like a bolt hitting the fire wall. I had taken the distributor apart a couple of years ago when I put the rebuilt engine in.

 

I have the distributor out and its froze up tight as a German virgin.

 

The engine barely has 500 miles on it.

But I have no choice to replace the cam because there are broken teeth on the cam.

I saw a guy on YouTube who used magnetic tool holders. He glued an 1/8 inch wooden dowel on the tool holders and then laid them over the lifters. Then he rotated the engine over by hand until all of the lifters were held by the magnetic tool holder; it was pretty slick.

Today's plan, after I sweep the wood stove chimney is to take the oil pan off and search for the broken teeth. I'll be taking the oil pump off too to see if its bound up.

 

Hang in their Mike! Sweeping out the chimney doesn't sound like
much fun either.

I've never swept out a chimney.

Ben in Austin
1950 F1

 

It's good to be retired otherwise I might be stressed out. Sweeping the chimney will be the BIG chore today. Its nice to have a lift in my insulated shop now if only had heat in the shop; a balmy 25 in Central Oregon today.

 

Mike,
It’s good to hear you’ve got a relatively new engine. It’ll be interesting to see what’s in the oil pan. Don’t forget to clean the oil pump and pick up. Not sure if you will ever figure out what caused the distributor to lock up. I’ve seen plenty of them that have frozen in blocks but have only seen one other (Jeep while in the army) that seized like you described. IIRC The old distributors had a little covered cap to put a few drops of oil in when servicing the engine.
I saw the U Tube video you mentioned. Old timers used cloths pins but his way would do the job as well.

 

Pulled the oil pan off and found the broken teeth, well I don't know if all of the teeth are there yet. Pull the bottom radiator hose off today and clean out the oil pan and pickup. Maybe I'll get started on the taking the front grill out today too; I'll see if I can work that in after my Physical Therapy.

Yeah, I'm curious to pull the distributor apart and see if a roll pin came loose or something.

I guess I'll be taking my engine apart this winter; not what I had planned.