I am trying to get my distributor to fall into place on a 351M. It is engaging the drive gear and pump shaft, but it refuses to drop that extra 3/4in. After fighting it for about an hour, I thought about setting the whole thing ablaze and rolling it down the nearest hill. But instead I'll ask you helpful folks for a solution and maybe keep the truck after all. Thanks guys!

 

Did you remove the pump drive shaft? If so are you sure you have the right one?

 

I'm having the same trouble with the same engine. I hope to work on it more this weekend. I'll let you know if I finally get it, and I'll be watching for your progress and solution.

 

Where did you get your distributor? I got mine from AutoZone (lifetime return), and I wondered if I got the right one (packaged wrong?) I've never had this much trouble.

 

The distributor is a reman from Advance Auto. I have already had this dizzy installed by a friend of mine on a previous adventure, but he's not able to help me drop it back in. I pulled it to remove the intake.

 

If you have tried bumping the starter to no avail, sometimes the collar on the shaft will slip when the dizzy is removed and the shaft comes out of the pump. It stays there looking like it is in, but it isn't. It's cocked in it's bore making it impossible to install the dizzy. Try getting a hold of it with some long needle nose pliers to see if it's in.

 

I got it in finally. I used a nut driver to turn the oil pump shaft until it aligned to the position I wanted the dizzy to install. Guess I won't torch ol' Blue after all. Thanks for the input fellas.

 

I'm not proud - it whipped me, but Dad discovered that the oil pump shaft had come out of the pump. He used a socket (can't remember the size) and 1/4"-drive long extension and got it seated. The distributor then slipped in like always. We timed it, then guestimated the timing setting by idle - ~600 rpm, checked it, and it was dead on - 12 degrees advanced. Glad to have it going, and learned from it.

 

One of the problems is the oil pump shaft falls against the side of the passage. I've applied some thick grease on the end of a long screwdriver to hold it in the center.

 

the bottom of the distributor shaft is tapered to funnel the Oil Pump Driveshaft (OPD) into the end of the dizzy shaft. all that's needed is to tap the ignition key or trip the solenoid with a screwdriver to bump the starter... the dizzy will drop right in.

the oil pump driveshaft is 5/16", you can check to make sure it's in the oil pump correctly by turning it with a speedhandle or a ratchet on a 3/8" extension & 1/4" adapter. i use a piece of tape to hold the tools together just in case

there's a retaining spring clip on the OPD that prevents the shaft from being lifted out of the oil pump, sometimes the shaft gets installed upside down during a rebuild or oil pump job and the retaining clip is in the wrong place & completely ineffective. then when the dizzy is lifted out for service the OPD comes up with the dizzy and out of the oil pump. could be the beginning of a real bad day. what are the cahnces of getting the OPD back into the pump? i suspect that many times the OPD isn't out of the pump but the dizzy just isn't dropping, then after messing with the OPD the dizzy goes down on a lucky drop?

it only takes 3 seconds to tap the solenoid & drop the dizzy. then crank the engine around to align the timing marks & verify that it's in the position that you want it, vacuum can pointing straight forward & rotor at 12:30 - 1:00 to align with the #1 terminal as marked on a Ford cap... repeat as necessary to obtain the correct position, note that the rotor turns as it drops in due to the angle cut of the dizzy drive gear, you need to start the gear ahead of where you want it to finish

 

There's a set of "PRE-OILER" tools available from NAPA, among other places, with all of the pump drive sizes. I think it runs about sixty or seventy bucks.

Alternately - you can cannibalize a few old distributors for their shafts.

I use a deepwell 1/4 drive socket on an extension, with an adapter to use an electric drill when I want to pre-oil a new engine (simpler, but be carefull not to drop anything into the engine).

For dizzy stabbing hassles - it's a lot easier to reach in with one of these tools and turn the pump shaft a few degrees and try again. It's a lot more precise, and doesn't throw your timing marks off.

There are three sizes, two of them are 1/4", and 5/16". The other I forget...