Trouble removing distributor from an FE....

[SoCalCoupe]

Dealing with a 1962 406 CID engine. How do I remove the distributor? I disconnected the wires, removed the cap and hold-down. I pull up and out several inches, the drive gear clears and several inches of the oil pump drive shaft clears but there's something on the bottom of the oil pump drive shaft I can't see that's hanging pulling the whole assembly out.

Looking at other sources, seems like the oil pump shaft shouldn't have come out because there should a collar at the top that holds it in the engine. Possibly the oil pump drive shaft was installed upside down with the collar at the bottom, not the top? Here's a link AI found for me that supports my up-side-down theory. Unfortunately, it doesn't describe a way out. I'll read it a few more times though.

When I try to reinstall the distributor and oil pump drive assembly, it won't fully seat. It sticks up about an inch. The drive gear seems to be engaging correctly but the probably the oil pump drive shaft isn't?

Don't know where to go from here. I'd totally like to avoid removing the oil pan.

Help.

Oh by the way, I'm all but certain the centrifugal advance is the issue with my idle. I can manually turn the rotor CW and CCW and there's no resistance or spring-back in either direction.

[paul2748]

I'm going to make a guess here. The oil pump shaft may be stuck in the the distributor and the collar has moved downward because the distributor has been pulled up dislodging it but still on the oil pump shaft. With the collar moved down, the distributor will not go down all the way as the collar is preventing it.


If you can turn the distributor shaft with it pulled up as far as it will go, just maybe this is the problem.


As I said ,this is a guess.

Originally Posted by SoCalCoupe

Dealing with a 1962 406 CID engine. How do I remove the distributor? I disconnected the wires, removed the cap and hold-down. I pull up and out several inches, the drive gear clears and several inches of the oil pump drive shaft clears but there's something on the bottom of the oil pump drive shaft I can't see that's hanging pulling the whole assembly out.

Looking at other sources, seems like the oil pump shaft shouldn't have come out because there should a collar at the top that holds it in the engine. Possibly the oil pump drive shaft was installed upside down with the collar at the bottom, not the top?

When I try to reinstall the distributor and oil pump drive assembly, it won't fully seat. It sticks up about an inch. The drive gear seems to be engaging correctly but the probably the oil pump drive shaft isn't?

Don't know where to go from here. I'd totally like to avoid removing the oil pan.

Help.

Oh by the way, I'm all but certain the centrifugal advance is the issue with my idle. I can manually turn the rotor CW and CCW and there's no resistance or spring-back in either direction.

[SoCalCoupe]

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Originally Posted by paul2748

I'm going to make a guess here. The oil pump shaft may be stuck in the the distributor and the collar has moved downward because the distributor has been pulled up dislodging it but still on the oil pump shaft. With the collar moved down, the distributor will not go down all the way as the collar is preventing it.


If you can turn the distributor shaft with it pulled up as far as it will go, just maybe this is the problem.


As I said ,this is a guess.

Thanks for the reply. Yes, I'm certain that the oil pump shaft is stuck in the distributor. I don't think the collar has been moved downward because I felt no resistance as I was pulling the distributor out. As to why the distributor won't go down all the way, don't know.


Yes the distributor shaft can be turned with no resistance at all with the shaft pulled up as far as it will go.


Here's a link AI found for me that supports my up-side-down theory. Unfortunately, it doesn't describe a way out. I'll read it a few more times though.