1966 trouble installing the distributor | Ford Thunderbird club group 1955-2005 T-Bird models

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1966 trouble installing the distributor

  • Thread starter Thread starter Sun lover
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Sun lover

Sun lover

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1966
After experiencing problems with my original distributor, I decided to upgrade to HEI. When I attempted to install the new distributor, I found that the shaft that drives the oil pump will not stay centered in the bore, it wants to fall toward the front of the engine and therefore, I cannot get the distributor to slide all the way in. I can move the shaft around but it will not stay centered, I tried to place it with some heavy grease but I have been unsuccessful. Does anyone have any ideas as how to overcome this issue?

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Sometimes they're just a pain. I think I have used grease before, and if I remember correctly once I even spun the engine over while pushing the distributor down. It's been a while since I've had that issue.
 
Try cleaning all the grease from the shaft. Insure you are aligning distributor correctly, apply small amount of earring grease on back side of shaft
 
Check the bottom of your distributor and make sure you have a lead in chamfer it looks a funnel shape so the outside edge looks like a very small circle. This is a lead in and your oil pump drive shaft has a point. If not you can use a dreamill with a stone shaped like a cone to make the lead in bigger. After this while installing the distributor pushing down and wiggling the rotor back n forth quickly should do the trick. Make sure there are no burrs on the inside of the distributor shaft.
 
The bottom of the distributor was flat, I had thought about tapering it but wasn't sure. I used a dremel and once I had it tapered I was able to get it in! Thanks I now have another mystery, in the process of arranging wiring to bypass the resistor wire for the coil, I found this device behind the windshield wiper bag. Any idea what it is?
 

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Well as it says a short circuit protector. But what circuit is it protecting. You will have to trace the wires to see. That's why cars have fuse panels. The person may have added an option that draws more than regular fuses can handle. When I did my HEI I clipped my pink resistor wire from behind the ignition switch and just ran a new wire to the distributor so it can have the full 12 volts and just left the resistor wire disconnected from the distributor just in case someone else wants to go back to points it will be there. Have fun tracing wires you'll find it.
 
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