Distributor Help!!!

olliebarrett_92 · Post by **olliebarrett_92** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 11:02 am

After finally tracking down a replacement distributor in the week, today was going to be fitment day!

We have got to the stage of withdrawing the old distributor, and all was going well until we had the old distributor out to compare it with the new one. There is a section at the end of the distributor and a roll pin missing.
We think we can see bottom section still in place, but the pin and small section from the driving gear has disappeared into the casing.

Here is a picture of a distributor to show you what is missing.

Before one of you clever genius' lets me know that the black box on the side of the distributor is for a later version of something, this isn't a picture of my distributor

Anyway.. What i wanted to find out is.. do we need to try and recover the small pieces before starting the engine. If we need to recover them, how do we do it??

Thanks for now.
Ollie

Larosto · Post by **Larosto** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 6:48 pm

Hi,

the thing you are missing is for driving the oilpump. I think you can try to get it with a magnetic through the hole where the distributor was fitted in.
I hope this helps you, and wish you good luck.

Horst

olliebarrett_92 · Post by **olliebarrett_92** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 6:52 pm

Getting out the oil pump drive out shouldnt be too much of a problem. The fractured bit above the drive is what we are not sure what to do about. In the picture everything within the red circle is completely missing. Thanks ollie

map1275 · Post by **map1275** » Sun Aug 23, 2009 9:31 pm

Don't quite understand your question.

Have you left behind part or all of the roll pin? Or just the drive sleeve (as in there was never a roll pin fitted)?

Just the sleeve should come out with a magnet or long nose pliers. If you have roll pin debris in the timing cover the strip the front of the motor.

5988 · Post by **5988** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 8:26 am

i didn't think the sleeve can get out anywhere....
or maybe it can get into the timing case from the tube it sits in, ...cant remember when mine was in bits
if it has gone from the tube where the drive shafts live i guess it can get out, and yes you do need to find it, as the only place uit can be is the timing case...and you dont want that in the timing chain with plastic gears
maybe it can get to thew sump from the bottom of the timing case...will have a look at the pics i took

olliebarrett_92 · Post by **olliebarrett_92** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 12:10 pm

Ok, i will try to make it easier to understand, because now im confused too!! haha

The roll pin is completely missing, and has fallen into what i guess it the timing case.
Where the pin fits, through the 2 holes, one side of the drive sleeve, where the holes are fractured and also missing.
The very bottom part of the distributor is still in place inside the engine and should be able to be removed.

Hope this clears it up

Ollie

olliebarrett_92 · Post by **olliebarrett_92** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 4:01 pm

So have we come to the conclusion that I need to get the pieces of metal out?
Do i do this by draining and removing the sump to see if the debris is in there?
If i still dont find them, what is the next step?!

Thanks.
Ollie

Mrs Bingham · Post by **Mrs Bingham** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 4:59 pm

I could never sleep at night knowing that there are pieces of metal floating around in my engine, particularly around the timing gears. Obviously remove what you can from the dizzy hole and then have a good feel around with a telescopic magnet to try and account for all of the missing pieces; assuming of course the pieces are of a ferrous material. There’s a good chance the pieces may have fallen towards the oil pump so remove the pump and gears and check around that area, but worst case scenario you may need to strip down the front end of the engine. How far into the engine can you see when the oil pump and drive adapter are removed? Is it worth the assumption that the pieces have fallen in to the sump – probably not.

Chin up and keep up the good work. Good luck…

map1275 · Post by **map1275** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:08 pm

If you have roll pin debris in the timing cover then strip the front of the motor.

You may have to remove the sump as well.

Nothing can get in to the oil pump due to the design of the timing cover. But due to age, you will need to pull this apart and can expect to be up for oil pump gears as a minimum. Most probably you will find problems with the oil filter head and timing cover as well. If the distributor drive dog has collapsed then possibly a drive gear on the cam to.

5988 · Post by **5988** » Mon Aug 24, 2009 9:19 pm

i would start by removing the sump...unlikely to be there (but being those little bits they could be) but worth a try...and makes removing the timing cover eaier
then when there not there remove the timing cover (water pump, crank pully, and maybe alternator need to come off)
will be easiest with the rad out so you have access to the front of the engine
while in there, check for wear to the timing chain and gears, and oil pump
id expect the timing gears/chain will be worn unless you or a PO has replaced them (mine had 90k on it and over 20degrees slack in the timing chain

)
oil pump cover can be re-surfaced if needs be ....you will need to prime th pump as well