Distributor won't drop in, any Suggestions?

**novaman_68** · 01-22-2005

I have a 350sbc with an MSD Pro-Billet distributor,crane hyd. flat-tappet cam,and an Air-Gap intake. My block has not been decked and I am running a dynagear oil pump. My problem is that when I stab my distributor it drops in until it hits the oil pump shaft and it will not drop in. I know what you are thinking, but my slot is lined up from the dist. and oil pump and if I pull my gear off my dist. it fits into the cam gear and on the oil pump. With the gear off of the dist. shaft the shaft fits right into the oil pump gear. Everything should be dropping right in but it will not, the only way I can get the dist. to drop all the way in is if I drop it in and pull the rotor off and smack it with a hammer. I don't like this and I know it is not right so I am trying to fix it. I thought I had the wrong cam button and timing cover which would be pushing the cam back farther in the block causing the mis-alignment but I bought a Comp. two-piece timing cover with a cam button they sent with it and I still have the same problem. My endplay is .010 which is within spec and all the parts were new at the same time when I built the motor back in Sept. I am at a loss and cannot figure this one out

Maybe tommorrow I will spray all my parts with layout dye and drop the dist. in and see exactly where it is hitting. Has anybody ever had this problem?

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**smittys69** · 01-22-2005

How much play does your intake have if the bolts are loosened? Just a thought but with everything fitting the way you say is does, maybe your intake is a little too much forward / rearward and your dist hole is not exactly centered on the oil shaft. It is just enough to cause a slight interference with your dist collar thus making it tight. I know it would be a pain in the but to loosen the bolts and then slide the intake a little as you might loose a good seal but that may be the problem

**Matt@RFR** · 01-22-2005

Line everything up, drop it in as far as it will go, then bump the motor over while keeping downward pressure on the distributor. It'll eventually drop in, then roll the motor back to number one and check continue as normal.

**myclone** · 01-22-2005

Originally Posted by Matt@RFR

Line everything up, drop it in as far as it will go, then bump the motor over while keeping downward pressure on the distributor. It'll eventually drop in, then roll the motor back to number one and check continue as normal.

Agreed. Thats worked every time for me.

**TonyL** · 01-23-2005

Line everything up, drop it in as far as it will go, then bump the motor over while keeping downward pressure on the distributor. It'll eventually drop in, then roll the motor back to number one and check continue as normal.

as said above, this works every time for me also.

**ProdigyCustoms** · 01-23-2005

Based on what he describes, I think he may have a different problem then the common bump and drop misalignment situation. The fact that he says he can hit it in the rotor and it goes in says it is binding more then being slightly misaligned and needing bumped. If it was misaligned, he could hit it with a sledge hammer and it would not go in. And if he got it in once, and pulled it, it should drop back in again with no hammer or bump.
This guy sounds way smart enough to know the bump and drop trick.
I cannot say I have ever had this problem, I am not exactly sure what the problem is, but the dye sounds good. I would be curious to find out. Since you say it will go in without the distributor shaft in it, and the shaft does fit the oil pump shaft, I am think the oil pump driveshaft is to long. If it is not cured by Monday I will make a few calls and see what I can find out.

**novaman_68** · 01-23-2005

Thanks guys, trust me it is not a bump and drop thing. I tried to drop it in yesterday with the intake off and no luck. Trust me it takes a lot to stump me but this one has it. I can smack the dist. and it will drop in and pull it right back out without turning the motor over and it will NOT drop back in without smacking it. I called MSD's tech line and they told me that the inside of the dist. gear was a tighter fit than stock and to take a round file and chamfer the edges for an easier fit but I filed it with no luck. I even thought if I ran the motor for a few miles it might loosen up and drop in easier but I have ran it about 10 miles and it still hasn't made a difference. The teeth on the dist gear are not getting any shiny spots from wear YET but I don't want to end up tearing my cam and dist.

Thanks again for all your input.

**shmoov69** · 01-23-2005

Have you tried removing the cam button totally to see if it will drop? If that does not do it, try a different dist gear.
My .02

**CAMAROBOY69** · 01-23-2005

I read the title and before I even opened this thread I knew what distributor you had. Those MSD dist. can be a nightmare to get in. Very very tight fit! I am sooo not looking forward to putting mine in again! :comp3:

**novaman_68** · 01-23-2005

I talked to a friend that has a Pro-Billet in a big block and he said it was tight the first time he put it in but okay after that. Also it makes no difference if the cam button is in or out, as I still have the problem with the timing cover off.

**novaman_68** · 01-23-2005

Oh yeah I forgot, I dropped a stock dist. in with no problems, but if I wanted to run a stock HEI I would not a have spent $180.00 on an aftermarket distributor

**tireman** · 01-23-2005

I had the same trouble with a MSD pro-billet distributor. It was replacing a Mallory uni-lite. The Mallory dropped in easily, but I spent ages trying to get the MSD unit in. Finally, I compared the ends of the two distributors to see what the difference was. The Mallory unit had a chamfer on the tang of the distributor shaft and the MSD did not. I busted out the dremil and put a small chamfer on the MSD tang and it dropped in within 5 minutes afterwards.

Good luck!

**MrQuick** · 01-24-2005

yes the are a tight fit, the instructions mention that. chamfering is nesassary...I thought you were running it with the o-rings supplied in the kit...you really don't need them.

**novaman_68** · 01-24-2005

Sorry for the confusion guys, but I am not running the o-rings and I called MSD's tech line and they told me about the chamfer and I ground on it a little and it did'nt really help (maybe I need to grind some more). I guess I just have a problem on spending $180 and then having to modify the part to get it to work

If all else fails maybe I will end up getting the dremel out.

**indyjps** · 01-24-2005

always BFH theory ill give you the big and hammer the rest is up to your imagination.
i generally run unilites so i cant help you out.

**ProdigyCustoms** · 01-24-2005

Ya know Nova, if all it is doing is engageing the drive rod firmly, that is not a bad thing. Tap it in and forget it.

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Thread: Distributor won't drop in, any Suggestions?

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Distributor won't drop in, any Suggestions?

Had the same problem