Distributor seating - The 1947 - Present Chevrolet & GMC Truck Message Board Network

64c10stepside · 07-23-2010, 01:17 AM

Should there be a gap like this one when the distributor is properly seated or does the flange sit on the block??

skoffice · 07-23-2010, 01:23 AM

Nope it's supposed to sit all the way down. Did you turn the engine over at all when you pulled it out? If not, just try to pull it out and reseat it, could be a tooth off. If you did, roll the engine over to top dead center and get a long screw driver and turn the oil pump drive shaft just a few degrees at a time, until the distributor sits down in there properly. It needs to seat all the way into the oil pump drive slot. Then you will have to retime the engine. Make sure you aren't 180 out as well.

64c10stepside · 07-23-2010, 01:26 AM

Darn that sucks...Thanks for the help. I'll get into it this weekend.

1Bad62Pro/Street · 07-23-2010, 06:08 AM

I agree...
By the way..
Is that a home made Distributor Hold-Down Clamp

markeb01 · 07-23-2010, 08:17 AM

On the small block V8 there is an easier trick, if you have not disturbed the motor. When the distributor was removed the angle of the distributor gear turns the oil pump tang until it is almost lined up with the next tooth. Simply move the rotor one tooth counterclockwise, press down and with a small amount of resistance the distributor will drop all the way in. Installing the distributor one tooth off realigns the oil pump with the distributor, albeit in the wrong location. Just repeat the step all the way around the clock until the rotor is back pointing to the original location. This whole process only takes a few seconds.

I don't know if this will work on a six, because the tooth spacing may be far enough apart it doesn't help line up the oil pump. Since the visibility is so much better on a six, you might also try removing the distributor and aligning the oil pump with a large flat blade screwdriver.

Fyi, that is a factory two piece hold down clamp. The wire part is one piece and the saddle slips over the top, although some times they get stuck together. I had several on mid-60's Chevy cars. I didn't care for the design, as it tended to slip and was harder to install if the pieces separated during installation.

**MikeN** · 07-23-2010, 10:14 AM

If the distributor is timed where you want it, you can rotate the engine over by hand until the the distributor shaft lines up with the oil pump driveshaft, and it will drop right down the rest of the way.

The original 230 inline six in my 64 C10 had that same distributor hold down clamp.

64c10stepside · 07-23-2010, 03:52 PM

That's the one that was on there when I got it. Seems pretty sturdy.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1Bad62Pro/Street

I agree...
By the way..
Is that a home made Distributor Hold-Down Clamp

07-23-2010, 01:17 AM	#1
64c10stepside Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 17	Distributor seating Should there be a gap like this one when the distributor is properly seated or does the flange sit on the block?? Attached Images

07-23-2010, 01:23 AM	#2
skoffice Registered User Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Elk Grove, CA Posts: 375	Re: Distributor seating Nope it's supposed to sit all the way down. Did you turn the engine over at all when you pulled it out? If not, just try to pull it out and reseat it, could be a tooth off. If you did, roll the engine over to top dead center and get a long screw driver and turn the oil pump drive shaft just a few degrees at a time, until the distributor sits down in there properly. It needs to seat all the way into the oil pump drive slot. Then you will have to retime the engine. Make sure you aren't 180 out as well. __________________ 1964 C10 Shortened Shortbed Cammed LQ9 P&P 1967 C10 Trophy Truck BB 438 (soon to be worked on again)

07-23-2010, 01:26 AM	#3
64c10stepside Registered User Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Mesa, AZ Posts: 17	Re: Distributor seating Darn that sucks...Thanks for the help. I'll get into it this weekend.

07-23-2010, 06:08 AM	#4
1Bad62Pro/Street "Where were you in '62?" Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Cleveland County, North Cackalacky Posts: 5,013	Re: Distributor seating I agree... By the way.. Is that a home made Distributor Hold-Down Clamp __________________ PROJECT: "FULL METAL YELLOW JACKET" 1962 Chevy C-10 Stepside Shortbed Nostalgia Pro/Street Pickup Truck PROJECT: "FULL METAL YELLOW JACKET Build Thread What Are You Workin' On? - 1Bad62ChevyPickup PROJECT: "TYRANNORAMBLER REX" 1969 AMC Rambler American Nostalgia Pro/Street Youtube Channel: Father Son Projects Youtube Channel: 2TIMOTHY2FITHTEEN "North and South Carolina Folks Click Here!" (((( ~ I have Parts For Sale & Miscellaneous Stuff ~ )))) "Well being as there's no other place around the place, I reckon this must be the place, I reckon...Nyuk Nyuk Nyuk" -Curly Howard Ph.D. Last edited by 1Bad62Pro/Street; 07-23-2010 at 06:09 AM.

07-23-2010, 08:17 AM	#5
markeb01 Senior Enthusiast Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Spokane Valley, WA Posts: 8,356	Re: Distributor seating On the small block V8 there is an easier trick, if you have not disturbed the motor. When the distributor was removed the angle of the distributor gear turns the oil pump tang until it is almost lined up with the next tooth. Simply move the rotor one tooth counterclockwise, press down and with a small amount of resistance the distributor will drop all the way in. Installing the distributor one tooth off realigns the oil pump with the distributor, albeit in the wrong location. Just repeat the step all the way around the clock until the rotor is back pointing to the original location. This whole process only takes a few seconds. I don't know if this will work on a six, because the tooth spacing may be far enough apart it doesn't help line up the oil pump. Since the visibility is so much better on a six, you might also try removing the distributor and aligning the oil pump with a large flat blade screwdriver. Fyi, that is a factory two piece hold down clamp. The wire part is one piece and the saddle slips over the top, although some times they get stuck together. I had several on mid-60's Chevy cars. I didn't care for the design, as it tended to slip and was harder to install if the pieces separated during installation.

07-23-2010, 10:14 AM	#6
MikeN Senior Member Join Date: Oct 2007 Location: Marietta, GA Posts: 782	Re: Distributor seating If the distributor is timed where you want it, you can rotate the engine over by hand until the the distributor shaft lines up with the oil pump driveshaft, and it will drop right down the rest of the way. The original 230 inline six in my 64 C10 had that same distributor hold down clamp. Last edited by MikeN; 07-23-2010 at 10:14 AM.



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