Adrenolin

Went to drop the distributor in today on the new 351w build and realized the oil driveshaft doesn't just drop in but should have been installed with the oil pump. I realized this as I dropped it down and the small ring stopped it. I've helped build a few AMC engines this year and you simple drop them in with the dizzy. With the engine, trany, rad, etc now installed and fully wired is there an easy way to fix this or am I screwed into pulling the pan and pump?

In order to drop the pan I either have to pull the entire engine or suspend it & drop the AJE suspension, k-member (12 fairly easy bolts) & disconnect front brake lines. Either way its a day and a PITA.

Any suggestions?

Here are a few pics from a couple days ago.

JMD

Would you think I was "bad" if I said if it were MY CAR I would simply remove the retaining ring and carefully place the shaft into the oil pump drive?

The ring will only matter when you pull the distributor, and if the shaft were to fall into the pan at some point when you pull the dist for one reason or another,,, it just means you need to drop the pan..... Hmmmm... (I think it CAN drop into the wrong place if you are not careful, but I don't think it will drop all the way into the pan and it could be retrieved easy enough with a grapple or a good magnet.)

It really is a non issue for a CAR OWNER.

The benefit of the fix is not worth the effort IMO,,,

Thats me though...

Oh yea....

That stuff looks really, really, really, nice... GREAT JOB....

Very Impressive, very clean.... nice...

Adrenolin

That had crossed my mind to be honest... and being the 1st reply doesn't help sway me away from it lol. I wish I could say screw it, pop it off and drop it in. So much less work and I need it to start and run by Friday.

Just how big a chance is there for it falling without that ring?

valley firearms

I second Jim's answer. If It falls in the pan later, then worry about pulling the pan. She looks sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!

JMD

Once you get it in with a long pair of needle nose pliers a good magnet etc, it will NEVER fall out unless the distributor is pulled out. Even then, chances are it will not fall into a problem area...

I say on average 99.9% of the time it would never be an issue..

COST vs. BENNIFIT...


Really, how often do you need to pull a distributor out anyway?

4reboy

all I have to say is gorgeous looking engine bay, very nice!

Hopefully the fix isn't too bad... a whole day's work for a distributor would suck!

hiboostwoody

I agree on pulling the ring off and CAREFULLY putting it in the pump. Ran mine like that for years.

2+2GT

As someone who adjusts distributors, the only proper way to do this is with the distributor off the car in a Sun machine. The shaft CAN fall past the pump into the pan. It's aggravating, sure, but you're looking at a couple hours, not a whole day.

scootchu

Does the engine really need to run... it looks fine just the way it is.
VERY NICE. I want one!!!

Scott H.

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