I'm doing my engine swap now (still) and I'm having some problems. The engine is in and I'm hooking everything up... today I go to drop the distributor in. It goes in but it won't drop down all the way. It stops about 1/4 - 1/2 inch from the bottom. I'm using my stock distributor out of my 305 and the base off the 305. The oil pump is a M55HV (Melling High Volume) with the matching oil pump rod, so I can't see how that's the problem. Anybody run into this problem before?? The distributor and intake are from a 1986 305 and the new block is a 70s model block but that can't be the problem. Anybody with any ideas please help. I've taken it out several times and turned it in several directions and still the same thing. Oh yeah, the cam is a Comp Cam Extreme Energy line... could the gear be the problem??

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1986 Trans AM
305 TPI
Well over 200,000+ miles (speedo/odometer non-funtional! Odometer reads 142,000)
4 Wheel Discs
9 bolt Borg Warner Rear (2.77's....oh joy) :P
Completely Stock
Current Project: upgrade to a 355 TPI, 6" rods, 9.7:1 Compression, Stock TPI ported, 24#/hr LTI injectors (cleaned and flowmatched by Cruizin Performance), Hedman Shorty Headers, 3" exhaust with 80 series flowmaster, SBC 993 heads completely redone and modified for 1.6 RR, Comp Cams XE262-14 TPI Cam, Holley AFPR, TPIS airfoil, MSD wires, MSD 6-AL Ignition, Hypertech hot coil.

 

i would put grease on the gears and shove it down harder next time.
it should all fit.

you may have to turn the rotor until the groove lines up with the pump shaft groove.



[This message has been edited by 305sbc (edited November 14, 2001).]

 

I'm pretty sure the rotor and the pump shaft are lining up and that's what's confusing me... it's seeming like the distirbutor is bottoming out on the pump shaft so I can't figure out why it's not setting in all the way. Maybe I'm just not getting it right. I'll have to try the grease on the gear and try something else.

 

I just went back out and gave it another shot and still nothing. It feels like it's locking into the shaft like it's supposed to and I went up front and turned the crank and the rotor turns when I turn the crank... but the distributor is still sitting about 1/4 - 1/2 inch above the intake. It's really annoying and I don't know what to do next. Any help would be REALLY appreciated.

 

possible that the intermediate rod did not engage all the way down when you attached it to the pump or the shaft is the wrong length. possibly boxed a big block shaft.

[This message has been edited by mrr23 (edited November 14, 2001).]

 

Situation taken care of. I had to get up on top of the car and shine a light down into the engine to see what position the oil pump shaft was in. Once I did that, it went in just fine. PITA.. that's what it is. Thanks guys.