distibutor removal

[hubbytomdaman]

I have a 66 F100 with a 352,it has sat for quite a few years and there was like grude rust goop all over the valves train,got it all cleaned up real nice,now I have been trying to get the distributor set,but it would not move,had to use a 2' pipe wrench and finally broke it free.Worked it back and forth until it spins freely all around,problem is the distributor is recessed to deep into the intake that the hold down dosnt even come close to holding it in place.Noticed when I had finally loosened the distributor at the base where it fits into the manifold,there appeared to be like rubber rolling out,is there a seal or gasket that needs to be replaced? I cant get the distibutor to pull out completely,I have beat on it still nothing,I was not going to pull it but there is no way to tighten down the distributor.is there anything holding the distributor in place internally? Hope someone can help,until then I wil continue to beat on it and hope I dont break anything!!!

 

[21willys]

DON'T beat on it! Hopefully you haven't already bent it. As for a gasket, yes some of them had gaskets. Usually it's not a issue to not have one.

If the "valve train" was gunked up the rest of the engine is probably the same way. I'm not saying your engine won't run but a rebuild is your best bet. The gunk comes from poor maintance and can destroy a engine once it's broke loose and ran thru the oiling system.

The distributor hold down is probably bent (flattened out) from being overtightened. Just take it off and put a little bit of a bend back in it.

Nothing holds the dist. in internally. It just has to be aligned perfectly to come out.


Hope I helped...

 

[hubbytomdaman]

Thanks 21Willys,
Ya I have been beating on it,dont believe I have bent it yet,but I know it dont take much,still havnt got it out yet,have managed to get it out about another 3/4" by prying up on it,Read on another site that sometimes the oil pump gets caught up,hopefully I wont have to tear it apart just get the distributor out.I have pulled them before and I was pretty sure there was not anything holding it internally,but I never worked on a old Ford either but still they are all pretty cut and dry,this one is just being a bear and trying my smarts.Yes,I do know that the rust oily stuff means the engine REALLY needs to be rebuilt,but money and a place to do it is a big factor,no garage and a gravel drive make it a near impossible task.Was hoping I could massage it back in running condition by changing the oil several times and hope for the best,took a vaction this week for the first time in 13 years hoping to get her back on the roadmbut this distributor has me hung up.Oh ya one more thing,as for bending the hold down,that was the first thing I tried but the the ditributor is recessed to deep about a 1/8",so that is what lead me to removing the distributor to replace the gasket/seal,there is no way to hold down the distributor unless I stick somthing in their to take up the void

 

[hubbytomdaman]

distributor alinged

You mentioned the distributor had to be alinged perfectly to come out? Alinged with what? I have it at TDC #1

 

[21willys]

I meant aligned in the hole so it's not catching anything.

I'm not to familiar with ford dist. but you might be able to spray some pb blaster or something down the center of it after you remove the rotor button.

Certainly do some repetitive oil changes to flush her out.

 

[hubbytomdaman]

distributor broke!!!

Thanks for the advice but while I was prying up on the distributor I was able to get it to come out or at least part of it!!! The top of the distributor along with the center shaft came out,the casing an 1" below where its fits to the top of the intake manifold broke,leaving the remaining lower section of the distributor firmly in place,seated in the bottom of the intake manifold,along with the drive gear,looks like I will be taking the intake off and hopefully get the rest of the distributor out,will call the salvage yards to get another distributor also. I have another question? When I was turning the main crank to find TDC on #1 cylinder to line up #1 position on the distributor,after turning the crank one more complete rotation #1 cylinder was at TDC but the position on the distributor was 180 opposite.How do you know which position on the distributor is #1, when #1 cylinder TDC shows at two different spots on the distributor? How do you know which one is 180 out? Sorry for the stupid question but I'm have brain freeze or old age,probably both.
Thanks for your help

 

[Dr Crankenstein]

TDC occurs twice... once at the top of the compression stroke... and again at the top of the exhaust stroke. (180 degrees opposite on the distributor) Assuming the distributor is clocked correctly, when the rotor is pointing to #1 terminal at TDC, that is the compression stroke and the correct position to replicate when you perform the ignition swap.

.

 

[MercuryMac]

Hi hubby, You are right to worry about which TDC to put the new distributer in at. The camshaft turns at half the speed of the crank so the distributer AND the valves are slowed down. So, watch the rocker arms on #1 cylinder and when they are both letting the valves stay shut for a full revolution of the crank, then, in the middle of that revolution the TDC will be the right one. I'm pretty sure on an FE motor that #1 is on the driver side but eyeball across the front of the motor and see which head is about an inch further ahead to get the number one cylinder.
Keep on tinkering.

 

[21willys]

I realize you have a budget but you might consider a new/rebuilt dist. You can usually get them for less then $200. You might get lucky and get a good one from a salvage yard but most likely it will need rebuilt. Trying to tune a engine with junk ignition parts is impossible. Plus you can use it after you get your engine rebuilt later on down the road.

 

[hubbytomdaman]

Eric,good advice,couldn't find one at a junk yard anyways.
I was able to get a new distributor,original equipment,called all around and finally found one for $70.Pulled the intake,WOW,there was allot of crud,enough to fill a oil filter box! Pulled the Oil Pan,it did not look to bad,sum sludge,pump and screen not to bad,bottom end doesn't look bad at all,timing chain cover had same crud crap all in it.The distributor is frozen to the block portal,looks like the aluminum distributor and the cast iron combined with moisture has really done a job,tried to get it out with a chisel,hasn't budged a bit,resolved to start drilling it out,hoping I will be able to get all the shavings flushed out.I was going to pull the heads since its tore down this far,but as anticipated,the exhaust manifold bolts are so rusted that a socket wont fit tight enough to get a firm hold and they are starting to round out,not good,since I cant pull the motor I will have to forget about doing anything with the valves.Do you have any suggestions on how to remove old rusty exhaust manifold bolts,I only tried one bolt so far,want to wait to hear from someone who has experience with this issue,thanks

 

[21willys]

If your going to drill on the dist with it in the engine get a shop vaccum and set it up to suck the shavings up as soon as they come loose. Leave it running while your drilling.

As for the manifold bolts. If I can't get them with a socket (make sure your are using a quality 6 point socket) I have welded a nut or another bolt to the end of them to give me something to get a socket on. Unless your going to have the heads redone your not going to gain anything by pulling them.

 

[hubbytomdaman]

Got the shop vac setup,since I bought a complete gasket set I was going to replace the vales stem seals,but its not worth the hassle,YET,will have them anyways for later use along with the head gaskets,Thanks

 

[maverickmk]

You can replace the valve seals with the heads on. Loosen all the rockers then use a compressor to pressurize the cylinder. As for the exhaust manifolds, I wouldn't mess with them unless you're going to rebuild or replace the heads.

 

[hubbytomdaman]

Been a few days since I last posted,between work and other obligations,I did'nt get a whole lot done.I finally got the distributor out by drilling it out with six holes and breaking it into pieces then fishing out the gear.I fudged up the opening at the top of the block a little,about 1/5th of the back seating surface was chipped away or drilled out,but the distributor seats in the block after using a fine round file,so I'm pretty confident it will be alright once the intake is in place and the distributor hold down is in place.I really want to pull the heads considering I have the motor tore down this far and that the fresh oil I put in before I ran into the distributor issue,looked real creamy after only turning it over to see if it would start,makes me believe there is a head gasket leak.I been thinking I could drop the exhaust pipes and pull the heads with the manifolds attached then mess with the manifold bolts once their off,they will be easier to get to anyways.I sprayed it down with trans/naptha and will again for the next two days in preparation for this weekend.Do you have any suggestions you can pass on to me about any of this? Thanks in advance
Tom