Distributor stuck???

[ClemsonCruiser]

I am unable to remove the distributor from my 3FE.......... I removed the retaining bolt and the distributor rotates freely but I can not actually pull it from the block. Has anyone ever experienced this before or know any likely culprits...... I have never had this problem with a distributor before.

I appreciate the help fellas!

 

[Pluton]

assuming the 3FE dist is same as 2F: go underneath with some long metal(or wood?) object and gently(at first) tap out the dist.

 

[Heartworm]

you are not alone

I had that trouble on a 2F engine. There was another thread on this about 1 year ago and I remember doubting the people at the time, but it is a real problem. I cannot recall how I got it out, but it was a battle. I think that I got a screwdriver between the base of the distributor and the block.

 

[FJ40Jim]

The problem is the O-ring has glued itself to the distributor bore.

Worst case removal technique is to remove oil pan and pound distributor out from the bottom. Hopefully you won't have to resort to that.

 

[ClemsonCruiser]

oh boy, thanks for the tips guys.......... I was hoping it wouldn't result to "brut force" but I also want to make sure before I did go prying on it, I wasn't missing some little trick of getting it out.

 

[mrlocksmith]

This forum is great !! Here I am 2 yrs later and had the same problem. A small whack with an angled pry bar and the stuck dist came out.

Thanks


Mark

 

[klinetime574]

I just used a rubber mallet. After i removed the retaining bolt I tapped upwards on the lip of the distributor where the bolt goes through and it popped right out.

 

[NYNick]

Having the same problem. Will give the pry bar and rubber mallet a try tomorrow.
And here it is 7 years later from the original thread. Awesome.

 

[NYNick]

Well my distributor is stuck like you wouldn't believe. I tried prying it upwards with two pry bars and it doesn't budge. I mean the pry bars started bending! I don't know how anyone got to tap it from underneath the truck; there's no access from under there.

This is making my side cover gasket project a nightmare.

 

[NYNick]

Success, finally.
I jacked the truck up after I had rotated the distributor so the tab could be seen from underneath. Slipped a narrow pry bar up against the bottom of the tab from underneath and tapped the other end gently with a hammer. Popped right up.

What a hassle.

 

[snowbound1975]

Thank you for this thread. Tapping from the bottom on the disy is the best way to get it loose. Got to get that disy out to properly do the side cover gasket.

 

[Chester]

Hey Woody, search function pulled this up, straight a way! Another bout of exasperation cured with IH8MUD. And thanks to the above posts, 3 taps on a drift is all it needed.