Distributor not dropping down
 

I've got an issue with the distributor not dropping all the way down and seating on the intake. I've pulled the pump and pump shaft and it still will not sit against the intake. Also in the front of the cam there seems to be a small indentation where the cam button would go against the cam. Any suggestions as to what is wrong here? The block is a Gen IV 454. Here is a picture of the nose of the cam.

I commented on your other thread but as for the cam button. On the front of the cam itself there will be a centered point where the cam was fitted into the cam lathe. The cam button is centered in the timing gear and fills the space between the cam itself and the timing cover preventing cam walk front to back. The button is held in place by the timing gear bolt locking plate. So if your cam is not properly installed all the way in the dist gear won't be able to fully mesh with the cam gear. Refer to my other post. Not sure if I'm helpful, just spitballing here.

Thanks for the info. I did read your other post but I figured I better start new post as I think I may have bigger issues. I may have to make a call to Bob on this one.

Mike did you check the endplay when assembling? Was this timing set machined for the use of a thrust bearing? Is there a thrust bearing?

Hey Joe-
I used the Cloyes two piece cover which has a built in button. The end play was adjusted but I could never get the distributor to sit down. I shimmed it, but it didn't work. I ended up stripping the distributor gear out the end of last summer. It seems that the pump shaft was a bit long and I ordered a new one today. However I attempted to drop the distributor in tonight without any pump or shaft and it still won't drop in. From the looks of it I need to pull the cam and have the nose repaired at a minimum. The other cam seem to be working fine, for some reason I'm having an issue with this one.

What distance do you have between the intake and distributor?

You should adjust the proper distributor gear height to cam gear. To do this sometime you need to put shim between the intake and distributor. Moroso make that shim.

The distance is 1/8". However shouldn't the nose of the cam be repaired. Without looking at the other, I'm guessing it's damaged and needs to be welded.

I can not figure what cause your distributor problem maybe the distributor shaft is not the good diameter??

did they make a tall deck dist, sounds like with that distance there may be you prob,

remove the intake manifold and look down the lifter holes,the cam lobes should be centered in ths bores,if not the cam is not installed properly.you may have a mismatch of parts.

you stripped out dist gear last summer. this cam or diff cam? try a different dist. take off chain and slip cam forward. does dist drop? stick another manifold on. see if cam sits on it ok. there is a lot of ways to check stuff before getting something machined...

check rear cam expansion plug,if installed too deep it may be forcing the cam forward too much..

Thanks for all the input so far guys. Here is what I have found out today. It appears that the intake has been milled at some point. There is about an 1/8 of an inch difference between a 330 that I have and this one, measuring from the top of the block to the top of the collar on the intake. When I drop the distributor in, I can see that it hitting the step inside the block under the cam gear. There is nothing I can do to get it to drop down father. I'm guessing I just need to shim the distributor to the proper height unless someone has another idea.

Get a distributor with an adjustable locking collar.

If everyone thinks shimming is a bad idea I'd rather just buy a new intake. I really don't want to go through the hassles of replacing two distributors as I'm running twins. The stock Thunderbolt set up is just fine for my engines.

If the shim is one that will allow the dist. to stay centered and supported and its properly in the oil pump drive you will be fine.

What intake gaskets are you using? Don't they make thicker gaskets to make up for that.

They are Mr Gasket Ultra seal gaskets... I don't think they make them an 1/8" thick, I'll take a look though, maybe they do.

What a joke! I just looked up the receipt they are Mr Gasket 5818 they are the thickest gasket you can buy .125. I wish I could remember who I bought these intakes from. I asked if they were milled and of course I was told no. This intake has had the **** milled out of it.... What stinks is I know it was an active member that I trusted on here.

you sure the intake is the issue? hate to see someone trashed for assumptions. JMHO. maybe totaly off base, if so...sorry

Maybe the seller bought them used and asked the same question and got the same answer.
"Dyno time only"

Got to love those dyno time only sales. :blahblah:

fixx
 

back in my dirt track engine building days we ran so many cheeting combinations we would machine off the stock collat and add a slip collat to a stock dist..may be your solution if you have access to a lathe or know someone..machine it down,install the slip collar,install the dist,slide collsr all the way down and tighten it and its allen head set screws and use a .020 gasket which will act as the .010 to .015 that the oil pump needs to do its job when compressed..


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