When the distributor goes bad, what happens?

[Larry Hampton]

I was messing with the blue car tonight. The timing belt is right, but the distributor was about 180 out, or so I thought.

Pulled it and fixed it. Started it up, purred like a kitten, then slowly went away and died. Got the timing belt back to TDC, pulled the cap, it was about 120 out.

When I was restabbing it, the rotor would turn. I thought I didn't have it in the keyway, but I think it was. Is there some sort of connection between the part that goes into the keyway and the rotor?

[Zanzer]

The distributor has 2 tabs on the end with one being larger than the other so it should only fit one way. The rotor on the other hand can be installed in 3 different positions. I would think the shaft going through the distributor would be one solid piece all the way up to the rotor. I haven't had one of these distributors apart yet, but that's the way most are designed.

There is a roll-pin that holds the 2 eared tab to the end of the distributor shaft. How did it look?

[Larry Hampton]

Ahh, a roll pin just like a V8 distributor would have. I need to pull it again tomorrow and look if the roll pin was broken.

Broke a roll pin in a race 289 at World Ford Challenge in St. Louis, used a 16 penny nail to fix it (no vendors had a roll pin) and kept on racing. Stayed that way until I sold the motor.

[Zanzer]

Yup, just like a small block Ford

Also, I forgot to ask is the car carbed or fuel injected? The carb cars (and 89 EFI auto) has a different tab on the distributor and can actually be installed 180 out. The EFI ones have the clocked ears.

As far as the nail... desperate times call for desperate measures! LOL

[Larry Hampton]

It's a '91 EFI. I hope its the roll pin, a new disty is $$$$$$!!!!

[Zanzer]

Ok, on yours the ears should be a cast solid metal piece with one tab larger than the other and attached with a roll pin. The tabs on carb cars are made of thin bent steel sheeting.

I hope it's a simple fix too If not I'm sure someone on here has a used one they'll sell reasonably if it turns out yours is defective. You can test them though so you can diagnose it before you replace it.

[Larry Hampton]

I believe the pin is still intact and that the distributor is fine.

It appears that the cam has walked forward. I know a V8 has a cam retainer plate, do these as well? BTW, the dist is about 1 3/16" deep, and the face that the grooves are cut in on the cam is about the same depth, so just the veeeerrryyyyy tips of the dist 'wings' are engaging.

[Larry Hampton]

Looking at my Haynes manual, I'm guessing either the bolt holding the thrust plate broke or didn't get put back in.

Backstory from the P/O. Car got hot, head removed and resurfaced, reinstated. Ran for 3 weeks then stopped. Since the timing cover is off and I have no bolts, the water pump pulley only has 2 bolts holding it on, the lower air box only has 1 bolt holding it down, there is 1 bolt missing on the valve cover that holds the air tubing on and another broke off, the oval hose clamp on the flex air tube to the previous tube, I'm betting that it didn't get put back in.

[Zanzer]

There should be a 10mm bolt and an "L" shaped thrust plate installed in the last cam tower on the distributor end of the head.


You'd be amazed at how many of these cars I've seen with all kinds of bolts missing. I keep a bucket of leftover bolts from other projects to use as replacements just for that reason.

[Larry Hampton]

Time to pull the valvecover........ after the sun starts to go down (103?!? In JUNE!!??!!?? AUFKM?!?)

[Zanzer]

^^ LOL It's been like that here too. Average of 90 plus the humidity. Luckily my buddy Taz brought me a canopy to work under so that's been really nice

Hopefully it's just the thrust plate and it's a simple fix

[nitrofarm]

Time to pull the valvecover........ after the sun starts to go down (103?!? In JUNE!!??!!?? AUFKM?!?)

The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence. Weve only had a week of summer here. I'm so sick of rainy cold days :angryfire::angryfire:
But I feel your pain about the missing hardware. It never cease's to amaze you when you buy a 20 year old car. How much stuff can be bogus- I bought an Aspire for a parts car. When I test drove it I came back.And looked at the po and said. Seems like the ball joints are bad? Everytime I hit a pot hole it makes loud noise... He just shrugged his shoulders. Got it on jack stands and find not one broken coil springs. But both of them are broken in the front Good luck on your project and stay cool. Beer is good. Cold beer is even better !

[Larry Hampton]

Nitro, you still have that Fairlane?

[Larry Hampton]

Cam retainer bolt was missing. Too dark to see if its still laying in the head if it was ever put in. Do you think the front seal needs replaced?

I found another bolt in my collection, once I've determined that the endplay is okay, I'll locate it down. I'll clean the valve cover up, I think the Gasket is reusable, it was new when the head was redone but I need a new throttle body gasket. I think once its back together, I can get the timing cover bolts and get it back on so I can drive it and see if the A/C is working. If it is, I'll DD it until I get the A/C from Festful installed in Thing 1.

I was calling them Lil Red (1st car) and Ol Blue (2nd car) but I think I've seen those names used. My son just got back from church camp and the general theme was Dr. Suess. Thing 1 and Thing 2 have red clothes and blue hair, red car came with a blue bumper with a hole in it, that was replaced by another blue bumper without a hole, and the blue car has a salvage title, the hatch, hood, roof and right quarter panel came from a red car. Plus, people ask me where I got such a thing, what is that thing, why did you get that thing, etc.

So now they're Thing 1 and Thing 2.

[Zanzer]

Was the thrust plate still there? You'll need that too.

Per the seal, can you see if it's been leaking any? If no then you should be ok, but it's only like $5 and an easy replacement if you want the added insurance.



Love the Dr. Suess theme! :mrgreen: :thumbup: