Oil pump engagement question

[superdart]

OK, I had to pull out my distributo on my Dart (360).

The tooth was too large and was jammed in the gear slot. When I pulled the distributor, it pulled the gear out above the cam.

I set it back in, and I'm pretty sure it's in the right spot. If not it's only off by ONE tooth.

Questions:

1) If the gear is set back in, is it properly engaged in the oil pump? Or does it need to be in exactly the right position to engage the pump?

2) If it is off a tooth, but the above is unaffected, will it affect anthing? or will I just need to adjust my distributor accordingly?

I've never dealt with this before, so I'm not sure what will happen. I don't want to start it until I know for sure. Presently the distributor is back in and everything seems to fit fine.

[cutting torch]

If your distributor went in all the way, your pump drive will be fine, but your timing may be off. I always arrange my pump drive so that the rotor points at #1 cylinder, TDC firing, and that usually leaves room for my vacuum advance canister to clear everything.

torch

[triggerbear]

The proper alinment is with no.1 cyl. at tdc to have the slot on the gear pointed at the front intake bolt on left cyl. head.The bottom of the shaft is hex shaped with no effects on timming it should engage and drop in as you turn the shaft into the cam gear.

[eckertt@epri.co]

Superdart,

did you ever figure out why the tooth on the bottom of the dist shaft was too big and stuck to the oil pump shaft? Was this the original dist? Of did someone be4 you stick in a wrong unit? Or can that bottom tooth get bad with use?

Tim Eckert
72 Cuda
360/904

i ran into the same problem when i bought a msd distributor the tooth was a little bigger then the slot on the drve gear so i ground the tooth out a bit untill it went in with just the slightes resistance then i discoverd that the tooth was longer then a factory dist so i filed the tooth down untill i had 20 thousands play in it for thermal expansion

[superdart]

Originally Posted by eckertt@epri.co

Superdart,

did you ever figure out why the tooth on the bottom of the dist shaft was too big and stuck to the oil pump shaft? Was this the original dist? Of did someone be4 you stick in a wrong unit? Or can that bottom tooth get bad with use?

It was a new distributor from FBO. I pulled it because when I first stared the car it seemed to wobble. I assumed it was a bent shaft.My dad had mentioned that the shaft tooth may have been too long, but when I compared them, I realized the orignal one was tapered, the new one was not. I filed it down on the sides just a bit, and it drops in fine now. Although, after reading the above, I may run the file over it a few more times for heat expansion.

Thanks for the info guys. I'll check the gear to TDC when I get home from work.