frozen distributor

[tlicitra]

So I just finished my son's '73 fastback. Came out great, but the distributor appears to be frozen. No biggie. It was running a hair advanced, but still ran well, so thought I would tackle it in the Spring...until the head gasket blew. Now I have to pull the heads. It's my understanding that some late model Fords are notorious for having the distributor shafts break when you attempt to remove them. My plan is to pull the heads, load up the bottom of the distributor shaft with PB Blaster, let it sit a day or so, apply a little heat and try to remove it. Has anybody encountered this problem? Any pointers on the best way to remove one? Any suggestions would be appreciated. Love the site. You guys always come through for me and I appreciate it!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

Yes I know what you are talking about. Water gets around the distributor and corrodes the aluminum housing of the distributor. The steel shaft won't break just the alu. housing. Your plan of soaking it and heat sounds like the way to break it loose. I would spray it every day for several days. When you heat it that would be just to maybe help break the bond of the corrosion. Let is cool back down aluminum expands more with heat than cast iron so it will actually get tighter while hot. There is an O-ring around the housing. If you have a strap wrench that you can put around the large diameter of the dist. and wiggle it would also help. Brut force is not the way to go here lots of penetrating oil and keep the wiggle going.

I broke one off in a CJ 429 I was tearing down that really sucks those are expensive parts.

I would not suggest you put never seize on the housing going because it has glass beads in the mix and you do not want that in your oil. I would clean it good with steel wool and coat with grease going back and a new O-ring.

Good luck,

David

 

[tlicitra]

Yes I know what you are talking about. Water gets around the distributor and corrodes the aluminum housing of the distributor. The steel shaft won't break just the alu. housing. Your plan of soaking it and heat sounds like the way to break it loose. I would spray it every day for several days. When you heat it that would be just to maybe help break the bond of the corrosion. Let is cool back down aluminum expands more with heat than cast iron so it will actually get tighter while hot. There is an O-ring around the housing. If you have a strap wrench that you can put around the large diameter of the dist. and wiggle it would also help. Brut force is not the way to go here lots of penetrating oil and keep the wiggle going.

I broke one off in a CJ 429 I was tearing down that really sucks those are expensive parts.

I would not suggest you put never seize on the housing going because it has glass beads in the mix and you do not want that in your oil. I would clean it good with steel wool and coat with grease going back and a new O-ring.

Good luck,

David

Thanks David. If I can get it out I'm dropping in a brand new MSD. That's a BIG if!

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I am sure you are aware the air cleaner housing will not clear the MSD. There are other solutions that the air cleaner does fit.

David

 

[secluff]

Yes I know what you are talking about. Water gets around the distributor and corrodes the aluminum housing of the distributor. The steel shaft won't break just the alu. housing. Your plan of soaking it and heat sounds like the way to break it loose. I would spray it every day for several days. When you heat it that would be just to maybe help break the bond of the corrosion. Let is cool back down aluminum expands more with heat than cast iron so it will actually get tighter while hot. There is an O-ring around the housing. If you have a strap wrench that you can put around the large diameter of the dist. and wiggle it would also help. Brut force is not the way to go here lots of penetrating oil and keep the wiggle going.

I broke one off in a CJ 429 I was tearing down that really sucks those are expensive parts.

I would not suggest you put never seize on the housing going because it has glass beads in the mix and you do not want that in your oil. I would clean it good with steel wool and coat with grease going back and a new O-ring.

Good luck,

David

Thanks David. If I can get it out I'm dropping in a brand new MSD. That's a BIG if!

First thing in your favor is it not being a daily driver. The biggest thing to go wrong is being in a hurry. For various reasons water collects where the distributor goes into the block and the aluminum corrodes where it is contact with the cast iron. Like David suggested soak it with W-40 or any good penetrant for a few days. If your not going to reuse it you can probably "Help" it with some gentle ball peen hammer taps and a strap wrench. Then you can use "Mr Pry Bar" Just remember if you break it you'll have the joy of trying to remove the now stuck bottom part of the distributor. Ha...ask me how I know!!!

Trusting friend called me in a panic one night. Distributor in his only car had serious internal problems and he could not get it to budge. In comes "Mr I can get that out". I pulled on it so hard the whole engine should of come out of the car. The pop I heard was the top part breaking loose from the still in the block bottom housing. Took two hours of "Fun" before I got the bottom piece out. Don't think I got a Christmas card from them that year! Lol

 

[bkdunha]

I had the same problem with the motor going into my 72 and the date correct original distributor still in it. I read alot of forums for suggestions and one idea was a 50/50 mixture of acetone and type F transmission fluid and let it soak for days. Loctite recently came out with a Freeze out product that has a nitrogen charge to cool the metal down and shrink it. You can try this on the distributor housing as the aluminum will move before the engine iron. Long story short none of these solutions for me worked so I offered my engine guy another $100 to get it out in one piece. He hot tanked it and sonic washed it and ended up breakinng the vaccum advance unit but saved the distributor housing. Good luck with you options and let everyone know which one worked for you.

 

[SPAIN72MUSTANG]

hi i had a problem with mine too,felt like it was welded on what i did was spray it with kroil you can buy it on line i sprayed the distributor 2 times a day for 3 days let it soak in and it broke free hope this helps.

 

[1973grandeklar]

I am rebuilding my 351 4V and the distributor was stuck. I tried to save it, but no luck. I cracked it and ended up driving it out from the bottom with the oil pump removed. I will be replacing the distributor with a new one (keeping it stock). I just will not worry about the date coded correctness.

 

[4Vforever]

The way I've done it for many many years is to "shock" the dizzy by using a brass drift and a hammer of course. Remove the cap is best (in case you slip and break it) and were the clips are held onto the body, that's where I give them a gentle persuasion on each side of them, but don't smash into it too hard. It can be a bit of a pain to get at both clip bosses, but if you can all the better. If they're still stuck, then drown it in some WD 40 or similar for atleast a day, then try the same thing by "shocking" it, worse case scenario might be a couple of days. I personally have never broken one and always have used this method, even on my vert (just shocked it) a few years ago. When you get it out, sand the housing where it sits in the block smooth, install new o-ring and smear some high temp grease in the distributor bore, that way you won't have that problem again. Anyway good luck with it.

 

[tlicitra]

So, here's my plan. I've been soaking the base of the dizzy where it meets the block with PB Blaster for the last few days. I'm going to take the car for a run to heat up the block, blast the exposed dizzy base with Locktite Freezone, shock it, then see if I can't get some movement out of it. I only want to get it out in one piece so I can replace it. If anybody wants the original if it comes out in one piece they can have it. Is it true that an MSD ignition won't fit under the air cleaner? I put in a RAM air hood, and I've measured everything and it looks like it might just clear. I had called MSD before ordering to make sure it was a drop in replacement and they assured me it was. Is anybody successfully running one in their car? If so please let me know. Thanks to all! Great input as usual. I'll let you know how it goes. Running out of time here. Our Rochester, NY Winter can't be far away, and I have to get "The Beast" into storage...SOON!!!

 

[73pony]

Good luck sounds like you have a good plan of attack. I hope it goes well. I cannot speak to MSD fitting or not fitting. I am installing a Pertronix this weekend if time allows. Wife says I have to build the railings for the back stairs first.

 

[tlicitra]

Those honey-do lists! Always interfering with our car bonding time!

 

[barnett468]

So, here's my plan. I've been soaking the base of the dizzy where it meets the block with PB Blaster for the last few days. I'm going to take the car for a run to heat up the block, blast the exposed dizzy base with Locktite Freezone, shock it, then see if I can't get some movement out of it. I only want to get it out in one piece so I can replace it. If anybody wants the original if it comes out in one piece they can have it. Is it true that an MSD ignition won't fit under the air cleaner? I put in a RAM air hood, and I've measured everything and it looks like it might just clear. I had called MSD before ordering to make sure it was a drop in replacement and they assured me it was. Is anybody successfully running one in their car? If so please let me know. Thanks to all! Great input as usual. I'll let you know how it goes. Running out of time here. Our Rochester, NY Winter can't be far away, and I have to get "The Beast" into storage...SOON!!!

i didn't say to use pb blaster but hop your plan works.

 

[Carolina_Mountain_Mustangs]

I don't see any way that the MSD unit will clear a stock air cleaner and for sure not a RAM Air system. The picture below has the cap off. Even with this little aftermarket air cleaner I had to add a spacer on top of carb to raise it and it still hits.

I will probably go to something else when I do my CJ vert so I can keep the Ford Ram air. I already had the MSD for it came with the car.

I think there should be threads on here telling how members have had to heat and beat the breather to clear the MSD.

David