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Distributor wont go in Help

Discussion in 'Early CJ5 and CJ6 Tech' started by FugginJim, Jan 13, 2008.

  1. Jan 13, 2008
    FugginJim

    FugginJim In control Sometimes

    Pinon Hills,...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2004
    Messages:
    379
    Help I swear this jeep is gonna be the death of me.:mad::mad: And on to the problem it seems the distributor will not go into timing cover completely. I took old distributor apart and just stuck shaft and gear into housing to check it out and it seems to push it away from center of whole as if the gear is to large or cover is not aligned properly. This a new cover purchased through EBay and engine has been rebuilt by me. I was test fitting the HEI dist tro check clearance at the manifold and couldnt get this thing in. :cry: Any suggestions would be appreciated
     
  2. Jan 13, 2008
    n6ifp

    n6ifp Member

    San Bruno/...
    Joined:
    Sep 15, 2004
    Messages:
    206
    It sounds like dist. is not going into oil pump drive.. It may help to turn crankshaft by hand while pushing down on the rotor to help it go down the rest of the way. Larry
     
  3. Jan 13, 2008
    FugginJim

    FugginJim In control Sometimes

    Pinon Hills,...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2004
    Messages:
    379
    Rotated the crank by hand and tore apart an old distributor and just used the shaft and gear and installed in into the timing cover. After it was in place connected to the oil pump drive shaft and gears meshed, the shaft was actually being pushed away from center of the whole in timing cover and thats what doesnt make any sense to me could drive gear be to big? Im just not sure
     
  4. Jan 13, 2008
    jhuey

    jhuey Michigan Jeeper!

    Indian River...
    Joined:
    Apr 9, 2004
    Messages:
    415
    UWOP, well almost, how far down does it go? My DUI distributer was a tight fit in the timing cover bore, so much so it seized in and I had to destroy the distributer body getting it out. I assumed it was a one time issue due to no one else had the same problem. I worked the bore, dressed up with a wheel cylinder hone and the new body fit in just fine. Of course you need to file down the intake to allow clearance of the upper part of the body, at least on the Offy manifold. Now, if the body slips in it might just be the oil pump alignment in the bottom of the distributer drive gear. But you probably know that, patience is needed for this step.
     
  5. Jan 13, 2008
    FugginJim

    FugginJim In control Sometimes

    Pinon Hills,...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2004
    Messages:
    379
    I have separated a body and shaft of old and still useable distributor. The body slides in its tight but it does go in and I installed the shaft with the drive gear in place on the shaft. I got shaft gear to engage with drive gear and the oil pump drive shaft to seat and it actually pushes against gear and shoves shaft away from center as if gear is to big or not aligned in housing properly this was to check alignment of gears and check the whole to make sure it wasnt to small
     
  6. Jan 13, 2008
    sparky

    sparky Sandgroper Staff Member Founder

    Perth, WA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
    Messages:
    9,221
    Is the o-ring hanging up?

    I've put some oil on it before to make it slide in when it was hanging up.
     
  7. Jan 13, 2008
    FugginJim

    FugginJim In control Sometimes

    Pinon Hills,...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2004
    Messages:
    379
    Time for pics this is a strange one 1st pic is shaft and gear separated from distributor. 2nd pic is this unit in motor and offset away from center, gears are fully engaged and shafts are seated. 3rd pic is dist body and in housing all the way but drive gear not installed.
     
    Last edited: Mar 2, 2008
  8. Jan 13, 2008
    sparky

    sparky Sandgroper Staff Member Founder

    Perth, WA
    Joined:
    Sep 20, 2002
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    9,221
    :oops: Didn't see your previous post, musta been right when I started typing too.
     
  9. Jan 14, 2008
    Walt Couch

    Walt Couch sidehill Cordele, Ga. 2024 Sponsor 2023 Sponsor 2022 Sponsor

    cordele, Ga.
    Joined:
    Mar 29, 2007
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    5,916
    FWIW If you put the fuel pump eccentric on backwards, it will have the largest face out and will ride up against the dist drive gear and will not allow the dist driven gear to go to bottom of groovs which will cause the shaft to not line up as in your picture. Just in case, the solid round portion of eccentric faces to rear of engine. Look down dist hole with flashlight and you will see what I'm talking about. This could be it?
     
  10. Jan 14, 2008
    anthony

    anthony Member

    redding ca.
    Joined:
    May 1, 2005
    Messages:
    97
    I reciently had my engin completly rebuilt and had a similar problem. My timeing chain cover was cracked an it was replaced with a new miss manufactured new cover. The hole for the distributor was drilled wrong and I could not figure out why the new or old distributor would not go in. After months of frustration and just stabing the iner shaft of the the distributor in the engin, things just did not look right. The hole in the timing chain cover and the gear did not look like the were lining up right. After asking around I found out that there were some timing chain covers that were machined incorrectly. I purchased a new cover and problem solved. I cant find the reciept or remember were I purchased it from. I hope this will help you solve your problem. If you fallow the instructions in you manual closely your distributor will go right in with ease. I ruined 2 distributors trieing to figure out this problem.
     
  11. Jan 15, 2008
    FugginJim

    FugginJim In control Sometimes

    Pinon Hills,...
    Joined:
    Nov 22, 2004
    Messages:
    379
    Anthony

    Thats what I suspected but was hoping it wasnt that. I guess thats what I get for trying to save a buck on Ebay. :oops: The bright side is I haven't ruined any distributors just gotta buy a new cover from someone reputable and a new set of gaskets. A little paint and she'll be better than new. I'm just glad I decided to test fit the distributor before puttin the motor back in the jeep. At least its still easy to work on right. :)
     
    Last edited: Jan 15, 2008
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