Thread: Distributor won't go in - help?

I'm finishing up installing S3 cams on a 1991 and I cannot get the distributor to go back in. It's not that the rotor shaft needs to turn - I can't get the nose to enter the hole at all. I've done this many times before and never had any issue.

I may be able to feel a VERY slight lip between the top and bottom sections of the mounting hole. Could it be that I need to loosen and retorque the exhaust cam? Which would tick me off since I just put sealant on the valve cover and torgued it down.

Any other thoughts? Anybody else experience something like this?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Bill

Very odd. I know you put on valve cover but I would pull it and take a look to be on safe side anyway, even if you do get it to go in slot of cam. I would say to try retourqing. Then again you obviously are not new to cams.

Thanks for your input.

Update: I loosened just the 2 bolts that are visible with the valve cover still on and the dizzy went in (the ones with the 12mm heads). Then I retorqued them to spec. The dizzy turns (as to adjust timing) but maybe feels a bit tighter than I am accustomed to. But it turns by hand.

Any thoughts or concerns?

Thanks again.

Bill

The cam is not bent is it and are you at TDC? If it doesnt feel right, I would pull valve cover, take a look and retourque. Better safe than sorry.

The cam cap over by the distributor was overtorqued as you found out. The rest of your cam caps are probably overtorqued too if this happened.

stupid question you didnt swap the cams by accident?

The distributor rotor only goes in one way....if you put it in the cam recess and torque it down, you break your cam bearing cap.

Thanks everyone, for your input. I didn't swap the cams by accident (intake vs. exhaust), and I understand that the distributor only goes in one position relative to the exhaust cam.

OK, so I pulled the distributor, pulled the valve cover, and loosened the exhaust bearing cap bolts about 3/4 of a turn, following the proper order. I used a 1" wrench at this point to rock the cam back and forth a couple times to make sure it was properly seated.

Then I followed the 3-step torquing procedure in the FSM, and still couldn't get the distributor in.

Then I loosened the bolts one more time, did the first 2 steps of the torquing procedure, and was able to install the distributor. Then I did the final step of the torquing procedure. The distributor turns (to adjust timing) fine -- feels normal, but I had added a few drops of oil to the shaft housing before the last install.

I put everything back together and fired her up. There was absolutely no unusual engine noise. I warmed it up and checked the ignition timing - it was dead on, indicating that the crank and exhaust cam are properly timed relative to one another.

Since then, I have driven 120 miles with no indication of any trouble. I'm keeping the revs down for the first few hundred miles.

Fingers crossed. I'll post if I run into any problems.

Bill

Sounds like you'll be fine.