http://store.summitracing.com/partde...MSD-8360&N=120 308111

It won't go in, it simply wont' drop in all the way. Doesn't matter how I turn it won't even drop in with the rotor facing in any direction.

I looked at the bottom of the gear, the middle tooth that catches the pump shaft looks very wide. Compared to the tooth on my oil priming rod it looks alot wider. Did MSD put the wrong gear on? I'm going crazy....I've got the engine @ TDC #1....I'm 8 spark plug wires away from getting this goddamn thing to run. I don't understand....why would MSD put on a gear that won't fit the oil pump shaft...I just dont' understand...and I'm going nuts....I want this project done I'm about to kill myself.

 

Have you tried turning the oil pump drive with a large screwdriver?

 

Yes, I put the oil priming rod back on and turned it a little. It doesn't matter, it just refuses to drop in. I spun the distributor shaft trying to just get it to drop in, ignoring the direction the rotor was facing. It would not drop in in any direction. I've done this over a half dozen times before with the old distributor, the MSD one just wont' drop all the way in, it stops with about 1/3" to go.

 

Why does the fitment on the Summit page only list a 267 cid from '79 to '82?

 

Scroll down more to see the other applications.

I don't understand, this distributor should just drop in, but it appears that the wrong gear was installed, the oil pump shaft tooth on the bottom of the gear is too wide. I'm annoyed because #1 there was no warning that a different gear may be needed than the one they supplied. #2 for the amount of money I paid I expect the right damn gear to be on it or at least included.

 

The oil pump drive feature is not part of the gear; it's the end of the shaft. Has nothing to do with the gear. The gear just happens to be all around it.

The only possible explanation is that your oil pump drive shaft is too large OD; or has too narrow a slot; or that the "screwdriver" looking end of the dist shaft is too thick.

If I was the suspicious kind, I'd suspect that if your oil pump drive shaft is not new, it got damaged (smashed) somewhere along the line of handling and cleanup and all that.

 

Well theres nothing wrong with that oil pump shaft. The oil priming rod slides right in, so it must be the end of the distrib shaft that is too big. That however doesn't make sense.

My accel distrib would drop in with just a little wiggling.

I shouldn't have to "PUSH" the end shaft of the distrib into the oil pump shaft should I? I meant, the distributor gear/shaft end should slide over the pump shaft right?>

 

It is possible that machine tolerances are so close to cause an interferance fit. Have you called Summit Tech with this issue?

 

I didn't buy it from summit, I'm going to call the place I got it from tommorrow, but I'm really heated, because I need to get my car running ASAP.

I meaning, comparing the summit end to the end of my old accel unit, it's a good .2" wider.

 

Are you using those o-rings without having the block modified for them? Can you feel it resting on the oil pump shaft? Have you tried having someone push down while you slightly cranked the engine over? Does it measure the same and look the the other distributor you took out?

That's about all I can think of. BTW, I've used those o-rings without chamfering the block but I've also pulled them out and one of the be gone. So I know it possible to cut them when installing the distributor.

HTH

 

No I did not use them, I bought the distributor through my machine shop (I had him setup the distributor for me). He told me, as you stated, that the orings have a tendency to cut and fall off, and that I didnt' need to use them, so I didn't.

The bottom of the distributor is getting to the oil pump shaft, I can see the red CC lube I put on the gear on the oil pump shaft. It just refuses to slide all the way down. Just makes no sense....a company like MSD must sell boatloads of these.

 

If you have a good relationship with an auto parts store, see if they have a driveshaft in stock and then try to fit the distributor to it without purchasing it.

 

I HAVE THE EXACT SAME ISSUES WITH MY MSD DISTRIBUTOR.

The first time I went to put it in it took me over 4 hours to get it right! Now I kinda got it down. When you drop it down you have go very slowly and be exact. The oil pump driveshaft has to be at the exact same angle as the drive on the distritubtor AND you have to push the distributor STRAIGHT down. There is no room for play in them puppies.

 

Me too! I spent two hours trying to get it installed on my new motor, but then gave up on it. My old distributor dropped right in and the motor fired right up. The MSD was a pain to try to get seated all the way and the only time it would go in it would be 180 degrees off. We tried bringing it around but then the rotor would be way off. I still plan on putting it in eventually. . .

 

A good thing to do is just try getting it to seat right regardless of where the rotor is pointing. Just so you can get a feel or how it goes in, and how far it spins over once seated. The best way I can say is to just go very slowly and be absolutely sure you have it going STRAIGHT down. Most distributors will have that bit of play in them where you can just basically throw them down in there and they'll seat, these puppies dont.

Also, since the cap is round rather than squared-off like regular HEI's, rather than trying to line the rotor up straight forward / slightly to the right, try putting it in so the rotor is slightly in front of the #1 terminal. I had real fun trying to get it right, first couple times I fired the motor up and it would barely run even with the vacuum advance canister hitting the intake. Took it out, moved it over "a tooth" and its perfect.

 

Have someone bump the starter as you drop the distributor in place. Give a little downward force to the distributor at the same time.

This action rotates the cam/distributor gear and can help in lining up the oil pump shaft to the notch in the bottom of the distributor.

 

I personally would hand crank it in leu of using the starter (lot of torque and seems like it could be hard on components). Pull the plugs if you have too much compression to hand crank.

I still say to go to an auto parts store and fit it to an oil pump driveshaft. This way you can see how it fits and therefore install accordingly.

 

Good idea about the oil pump driveshaft fit. To do an apples to apples, try to get the same style that is in the engine.

I see your point about the extra torque and I should have added "Make sure that the distributor/cam gears are meshing. This is determined by the rotor turning as the distributor is pushed down into its almost seated position."

 

I knelt on my strut tower for like an hour trying to line everything up perfectly and just ended up frustrating myself. Luckily someone I work with with some more experience was able to get it in. The fit is unbelieabley tight, but it does fit.

Thanks to everyone for their input.

 

Mine dropped in without any problems took more time to switch over the wires to the new cap than stabbin the distributor in. I'm running an ARP oil pump shaft so maybe that's part of it.

 

yeah had the same problem. i was going nuts trying to get the distributor in then a buddy told me to stick a big flathead down there and turn the oil pump shaft so it lines up.

 

im running an MSD and mine dropped right in like butter,..like just slid it on the hole bump the starter and its in like flint...im also using the stock oil pump driveshaft...

Really guys im not making this up lol...i can take mine out and 180 it and put it back in in less then 20 seconds including bumping the starter if needed...

it says in the MSD book when installing to set the rotor pointed to number 1 intake and the sliot in the oil pump shaft to number 7 exhaust....i did this and litterly droppid right in...its not were near an interfernece fit on the intake...its actually a little loose untill you get the hold down tight