Distributor removed, installed, running, removal no longer works

P

peer oliver schmidt

New member
Feb 10, 2014
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Hi,

I removed my distributor in my 23' - worked nicely. Fixed the lost
magnets with super glue, put the distributor back in, engine ran nice.
Did a small 30mile test run, and noted that the power was down again.
Upon arrival home found one cylinder not firing, again.

Went to remove the distributor again. This time, it does not want to
come out. It comes out about 1/4 turn but after that it does not budge
any more. Already re-ran the starter to rotate the distributor a bit
more, but still same thing.

What did I mess up to make the distributor no longer want to come out?

Any and all help is greatly appreciated.
--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
I suggest you use the updated unit from Pertronic.
The one that senses the lobe of the distributor, not the magnet.
We see this issue frequently .

On Thu, Jan 16, 2020 at 5:45 AM Peer Oliver Schmidt via Gmclist <

> > It comes out about 1/4 turn but after that it does not budge any
> > more.
>
>
> I made a small video showing how much it rotates. Not even 1/4
>
> https://cloud.theinternet.de/index.php/s/Szh6bXWbaebhPOw
>
>
> --
> Best regards
>
> Peer Oliver Schmidt
> PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
> I suggest you use the updated unit from Pertronic.

Thanks Jim, I might go that route.

The issue on hand remains: How do I take out the distributor, now that
it only moves about 1/2-3/4 of an inch upwards?
--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
That amount of play seems like the amount you'd have if the distributor
gear was stuck on the cam gear. With the distributor seated, can you
move the shaft up and down at all?

-Dave
1978 Transmode near Pittsburgh

-----Original Message-----
From: Gmclist [mailto:gmclist-bounces] On Behalf Of Peer
Oliver Schmidt via Gmclist
Sent: Friday, January 17, 2020 8:43 AM
To: gmclist
Cc: Peer Oliver Schmidt
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] Distributor removed, installed, running, removal
no longer works

> I suggest you use the updated unit from Pertronic.

Thanks Jim, I might go that route.

The issue on hand remains: How do I take out the distributor, now that
it only moves about 1/2-3/4 of an inch upwards?
--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany

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> That amount of play seems like the amount you'd have if the distributor
> gear was stuck on the cam gear. With the distributor seated, can you
> move the shaft up and down at all?

If I move the shaft, the distributor rotates. If I hold the distributor
still, I can move the shaft up at all.

--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
>> That amount of play seems like the amount you'd have if the distributor
>> gear was stuck on the cam gear. With the distributor seated, can you
>> move the shaft up and down at all?
>
> If I move the shaft, the distributor rotates. If I hold the distributor
> still, I can move the shaft up at all.
>
>

I *CAN'T* move the shaft up at all

--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
Peer, if you are having difficulty beyond what a sticky "0" ring might do,
your cam gear and distributor gear are worn to the point that there is a
protruding lip on the cam gear that will not allow the distributor gear to
pass by it on the way up and out.
You might try turning the engine a few degrees (20 or so) opposite
direction of normal running and see if that give enough slack for the gears
to bypass each other. If this does not work, then one of two things will
have to be done. Both are a major pain in the backside. One involves
destroying the distributor shaft from above, the other involves removing
the cam. Both are a last resort.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Oregon

On Fri, Jan 17, 2020, 6:49 AM Peer Oliver Schmidt via Gmclist <

> >> That amount of play seems like the amount you'd have if the distributor
> >> gear was stuck on the cam gear. With the distributor seated, can you
> >> move the shaft up and down at all?
> >
> > If I move the shaft, the distributor rotates. If I hold the distributor
> > still, I can move the shaft up at all.
> >
> >
>
> I *CAN'T* move the shaft up at all
>
> --
> Best regards
>
> Peer Oliver Schmidt
> PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Peer,

All of your comments seem to indicate that the distributor housing and the
shaft are frozen together, yet the little I can tell from your video is
that the shaft does rotate a little within the housing. Which is correct
-- frozen together or not?

Can you get the housing out of the block far enough to get anything -- like
a little pry bar under the hold-down flange? If so, I'd raise the shaft as
far as possible, then pry GENTLY to see if the shaft doesn't disengage from
the camshaft -- I'm suspecting a small burr on the bottom of the
distributor gear.

Just my WAG.

Ken H.

On Fri, Jan 17, 2020 at 9:49 AM Peer Oliver Schmidt via Gmclist <

> >> That amount of play seems like the amount you'd have if the distributor
> >> gear was stuck on the cam gear. With the distributor seated, can you
> >> move the shaft up and down at all?
> >
> > If I move the shaft, the distributor rotates. If I hold the distributor
> > still, I can move the shaft up at all.
> >
> >
>
> I *CAN'T* move the shaft up at all
>
> --
> Best regards
>
> Peer Oliver Schmidt
> PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
 
Ken,

> All of your comments seem to indicate that the distributor housing and the
> shaft are frozen together, yet the little I can tell from your video is
> that the shaft does rotate a little within the housing. Which is correct
> -- frozen together or not?
>
> Can you get the housing out of the block far enough to get anything -- like
> a little pry bar under the hold-down flange? If so, I'd raise the shaft as
> far as possible, then pry GENTLY to see if the shaft doesn't disengage from
> the camshaft -- I'm suspecting a small burr on the bottom of the
> distributor gear.

The outside shaft (housing?) rotates freely. The inside rotates freely
as well for about 10 degrees and than stops. I can put a small pry bar
under (there is about 5-8mm room, but I am very scared to cause even
more damage.

--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
Peer
I had much the same problem when I recently had my engine overhauled.
I could not pull the distributor. It would rotate but not come up.
Bruce Hart was helping me and he took a small ball peen hammer and although he didn’t have much room to swing it he used the side of the hammer and tapped it a few times as hard as he could and it came out.

The shaft had a bit of “gum” on it around and below the “O” ring. I cleaned that off and it went back in and them out without any problem.

Emery Stora

>
> Ken,
>

>
>> All of your comments seem to indicate that the distributor housing and the
>> shaft are frozen together, yet the little I can tell from your video is
>> that the shaft does rotate a little within the housing. Which is correct
>> -- frozen together or not?
>>
>> Can you get the housing out of the block far enough to get anything -- like
>> a little pry bar under the hold-down flange? If so, I'd raise the shaft as
>> far as possible, then pry GENTLY to see if the shaft doesn't disengage from
>> the camshaft -- I'm suspecting a small burr on the bottom of the
>> distributor gear.
>
>
> The outside shaft (housing?) rotates freely. The inside rotates freely
> as well for about 10 degrees and then stops. I can put a small pry bar
> under (there is about 5-8mm room, but I am very scared to cause even
> more damage.
>
>
> --
> Best regards
>
> Peer Oliver Schmidt
> PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
> he used the side of the hammer and tapped it a few times as hard as
> he could and it came out.

Hit the side of the housing? At the bottom where it meets the engine?
--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
He hit the bottom of the top bell of the housing.
I thought he might damage it but there was no damage.

Emery

>

>> he used the side of the hammer and tapped it a few times as hard as
>> he could and it came out.
>
> Hit the side of the housing? At the bottom where it meets the engine?
> --
> Best regards
>
> Peer Oliver Schmidt
> PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
> He hit the bottom of the top bell of the housing.
> I thought he might damage it but there was no damage.

I will try and report back.

--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
You should hit on both sides of the housing opposite each other if you can. That would keep it from wedging to one side as it moves up.
You don ’t have much room to get much swing on the hammer which is why he used the side of the hammer.

Emery

>

>> He hit the bottom of the top bell of the housing.
>> I thought he might damage it but there was no damage.
>
> I will try and report back.
>
> --
> Best regards
>
> Peer Oliver Schmidt
> PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
Take a steel shaft and use it to relay the impact of the steel mallet and
blow it on all sides and forcefully rotate the housing.

On Fri, Jan 17, 2020 at 9:34 AM Emery Stora via Gmclist <

> You should hit on both sides of the housing opposite each other if you
> can. That would keep it from wedging to one side as it moves up.
> You don ’t have much room to get much swing on the hammer which is why he
> used the side of the hammer.
>
> Emery
>
> > On Jan 17, 2020, at 10:29 AM, Peer Oliver Schmidt via Gmclist <

> >

> >> He hit the bottom of the top bell of the housing.
> >> I thought he might damage it but there was no damage.
> >
> > I will try and report back.
> >
> > --
> > Best regards
> >
> > Peer Oliver Schmidt
> > PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> > '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> > '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
> >
> > _______________________________________________
> > GMCnet mailing list
> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
Only on the shaft area of the housing.

> Take a steel shaft and use it to relay the impact of the steel mallet and
> blow it on all sides and forcefully rotate the housing.
>
> On Fri, Jan 17, 2020 at 9:34 AM Emery Stora via Gmclist <

>
>> You should hit on both sides of the housing opposite each other if you
>> can. That would keep it from wedging to one side as it moves up.
>> You don ’t have much room to get much swing on the hammer which is why he
>> used the side of the hammer.
>>
>> Emery
>>
>> > On Jan 17, 2020, at 10:29 AM, Peer Oliver Schmidt via Gmclist <

>> >

>> >> He hit the bottom of the top bell of the housing.
>> >> I thought he might damage it but there was no damage.
>> >
>> > I will try and report back.
>> >
>> > --
>> > Best regards
>> >
>> > Peer Oliver Schmidt
>> > PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
>> > '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
>> > '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>> >
>> > _______________________________________________
>> > GMCnet mailing list
>> > Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> > http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> GMCnet mailing list
>> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
>> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>>
>
>
> --
> Jim Kanomata
> Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
> jimk
> http://www.appliedgmcrvparts.com
> 1-800-752-7502
>

--
Jim Kanomata
Applied/GMC, Newark,CA
jimk
http://www.appliedgmcrvparts.com
1-800-752-7502
 
I did hit it a few times, probably not hard enough. Will try with a
longer metal stick and more force.

Will report back.

--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
This morning I tried again. Hitting it on the top with a hammer. Got it
out. No idea how much damage I did cause, or why it didn't get out in
the first place, but it is out now.

Question:
Go HEI (new distributor, new wires, spark plugs and new air filter housing)
Or go with JimKs Pertronix suggestion?

--
Best regards

Peer Oliver Schmidt
PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
'76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
'73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
 
Peer:

Rather than face the unknown, the rebuilt HEI is probably the best bet.

Dick Paterson does one that is about as good as it gets.

Make certain your charging system is working correctly (bad alternators can burn out the module), and always carry a spare module and coil.

Dolph

DE AD0LF

Wheeling, West Virginia

1977 26’ ex-PalmBeach
Howell EFI & EBL, Reaction Arms, Manny Transmission

“The Aluminum and Fiberglass Mistress"

>
> This morning I tried again. Hitting it on the top with a hammer. Got it
> out. No idea how much damage I did cause, or why it didn't get out in
> the first place, but it is out now.
>
> Question:
> Go HEI (new distributor, new wires, spark plugs and new air filter housing)
> Or go with JimKs Pertronix suggestion?
>
> --
> Best regards
>
> Peer Oliver Schmidt
> PGP KeyID: 0x4196BF22
> '76a 26' Eleganza II - Virginia, US
> '73 23' Sequoia - Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
 
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