distributor 351w
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distributor 351w
I am rebuilding a 351w and am having difficulty installing the distributor. I had it in but removed and can't can not get it to engage the gears and oil pump. The manual I bought says it is difficult to install a distributor in a small block ford. I believe it!
any pointers to make it easier will be appreciated
any pointers to make it easier will be appreciated
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,066
Likes: 4
From: Rogue River, Oregon
It's extremely EASY to install a SBF distributer, try doing one in a Suburban with a 5.7 sometime, you can't even SEE the distributer! Anyway, the problem is ( I promise) that your gears on the cam/distributer have to line up as does the hex-shaped oil pump drive shaft, and all at the same time. The trick is to line up the rotor where you want it, then apply a little pressure downward with your hands, then have a freind (or even an enemy if they'll help out) bump the key once or twice and the distributer will drop right in.
Posting Guru
Joined: Oct 2009
Posts: 2,066
Likes: 4
From: Rogue River, Oregon
Although you can do it that way if you need a workout, make it easier on yourself by pulling the plugs, I've had to turn it over 1/2 turn at the rotor occasionally. There's absolutely no danger whatsoever to bumping the key, assuming you don't get your hair caught in the rotor. It's not gonna start if that's what your worried about.
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New User
Joined: May 2009
Posts: 15
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From: Milton, FL
all you gotta do is mark a point where the rotor is pointing and drop the new one in with the rotor facing the same point, how i did my HEI. took 20 sec give or take
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From: SoCal
It's still not that hard.
You can turn (by hand) the engine to TDC on cylinder 1 and install the distributor. Remember that the distributor shaft will turn as the helical gears slide into each other, so when you have it out, you have to turn the rotor about 30 degrees ahead of where you want it to end up. When you install the cap, note where the rotor is pointing, and make sure to line it up as close as possible with the post marked for cylinder 1. If you can't turn the distributor to that point, pull it out, and turn the rotor that direction a few more degrees to try to engage the next tooth on the gear, and try to install again. It's all relative positions anyway, so you could cheat and rotate all the spark plug wires by 1 post if you can't get the distributor installed into the "correct" position. But that can get confusing in the future.
By the way, you can bump the engine with the starter motor, but you should leave the plugs installed for that, or the engine will zip by way too quickly. Either way, it's not as precise as turning it by hand, where removing the plugs help a lot.
You can turn (by hand) the engine to TDC on cylinder 1 and install the distributor. Remember that the distributor shaft will turn as the helical gears slide into each other, so when you have it out, you have to turn the rotor about 30 degrees ahead of where you want it to end up. When you install the cap, note where the rotor is pointing, and make sure to line it up as close as possible with the post marked for cylinder 1. If you can't turn the distributor to that point, pull it out, and turn the rotor that direction a few more degrees to try to engage the next tooth on the gear, and try to install again. It's all relative positions anyway, so you could cheat and rotate all the spark plug wires by 1 post if you can't get the distributor installed into the "correct" position. But that can get confusing in the future.
By the way, you can bump the engine with the starter motor, but you should leave the plugs installed for that, or the engine will zip by way too quickly. Either way, it's not as precise as turning it by hand, where removing the plugs help a lot.
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Joined: Oct 2005
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From: Longwood, Fl
Its a mismatch of alignment with the oil pump shaft. No matter how much you bump or turn, something will still be off when the dist seats fully. If nothing else, you will not be on your plugwire button.
I had a 460 van and used to pull the dist and get it back in, correctly, easily. You do need to mark the location of the pointer before pulling it out or you will have to get it to TDC with both I & E valves closed.
With one had trying to turn the rotor (lightly), gently lift on the dist until you can feel the gears 'bounce" between teeth. All you have to do is find the tooth that puts you slightly behind your cap wire, so that when the oil pump shaft aligns in will drop in correctly, because the meshing gears are already selected. Done it a million (well maybe not quite a million
) times. You can get good at it. Pulling the dist is actually very easy, no matter what has moved. Just make sure you are not 180 deg out!! 
Quite a few people dont understand that!
I had a 460 van and used to pull the dist and get it back in, correctly, easily. You do need to mark the location of the pointer before pulling it out or you will have to get it to TDC with both I & E valves closed.
With one had trying to turn the rotor (lightly), gently lift on the dist until you can feel the gears 'bounce" between teeth. All you have to do is find the tooth that puts you slightly behind your cap wire, so that when the oil pump shaft aligns in will drop in correctly, because the meshing gears are already selected. Done it a million (well maybe not quite a million
) times. You can get good at it. Pulling the dist is actually very easy, no matter what has moved. Just make sure you are not 180 deg out!! Quite a few people dont understand that!
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