Distributor gear breaks roll pin

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Oct 23, 2005 | 08:43 PM

galaxie64

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Distributor gear breaks roll pin

Hello; I have a 390 and the roll pin to the distributor has broken 2 times today. First time was while starting it for the first time today. It worked fine the other day. I had a second distributor in the garage and it snapped right off the bat. The cam gear is turning.

Oct 23, 2005 | 09:27 PM

krewat

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Sounds like the oil pump is not turning easily...

It could be pieces in the oil pan getting sucked up into the pump, and the pump is locking up.

Time to drop the pan, clean, replace oil pump, and see what happens

art k.

Oct 23, 2005 | 09:31 PM

krewat

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By the way, I didn't mean to just button it up and try it again... take off the valve covers and see if you have valve-seal pieces ... that's what it sounds like....

Oct 23, 2005 | 11:02 PM

RustyTrustyF150

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From: S.C. North Dakota

just wondering if you tried to prime the oil pump before you installed the distributor ,,, that would / might tell you if the oil pump is turning quite hard on the suction end . Does your distributor turn easily out of the engine ?

Oct 23, 2005 | 11:37 PM

galaxie64

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Hello; Thank you for the info. I just checked the oil pump, It's locked up tight. The engine was rebuilt about 4 years ago with about 10,000 on it now. It has a high volume oil pump on it. I have been told that the high volume pumps like to freeze up, more than a standard pump would. This is one of the last things I would have thought of to check. Now it's time to drop the oil pan.
Thank You
Martin.

Oct 23, 2005 | 11:55 PM

RustyTrustyF150

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just for curiosity what weight oil are you useing ?

Oct 24, 2005 | 12:07 AM

galaxie64

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10w30 ever since it was rebuilt.

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Oct 24, 2005 | 02:01 AM

galaxie64

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Hello; It is what I plan on. I don't drag race it, & and the stock oil pumps did fine.

Oct 24, 2005 | 09:07 AM

#10

krewat

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A high volume pump is not more prone to locking up than a "regular" one...

The problem with a HV pump is the pump driveshaft likes to twist... which is not your problem

Oct 24, 2005 | 09:30 AM

#11

Freightrain

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From: Ohio

It twists the shaft due to the extreme forces of trying to pump more oil. Thus the need for an a/market shaft!

I'd say you got a bum pump, since h/v pumps don't have any reason to lock up more than stock pump(like krewat said). I'd pull it apart and see what locked it up. Seems just about anything could cause the failure.

Oct 24, 2005 | 11:05 PM

#12

"Beemer Nut"

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From: "Islander"

I run a HV pump, at 218K the shaft snapped, a Moroso or Milodon (crap) shaft that had a moly tube center with allens pressed in the ends. Pulled the end out of the pump, installed ARP, turned pump by hand and drill motor. Now at 247K. I can't see how a HV pump adds extra load as it will just go into bypass at a lower rpm vs stock pump if both have the same relief pressure. More drag from a wider pump gears in the pump housing? Nats a$$ drag difference.
.....=o&o>.....

Oct 25, 2005 | 08:24 AM

#13

Freightrain

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Ya, got a point there Carl. I usually have it shimmed up for some added pressure. I used to shear pins in my 428(in truck), but have since double pinned the gear. 10+ yrs later it's still running great.

My 428 in race car is not double pinned, but it doesn't get the long mileage and constant load/unload type use. It pulls 110 lbs thru the traps at ~6200 rpm

Oct 25, 2005 | 12:01 PM

#14

"Beemer Nut"

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From: "Islander"

Look on the other side, a HV pump in a motor with loose or wide clearances will bleed off later before going into relief, this will reduce load on the pump and dizzy drive that would be the same as a tight clearanced motor with a standard pump. JMO.
.....=o&o>.....