Hey guys I just got my motor rebuilt from I guy here in town who has been doing motors for years. He does a great job and has done motors for my family in the past. Long story short I just got my 76 2f back from him and I was putting everything back on it. I am currently trying to put in the dizzie. I have done this several times before so I know how it should drop in. However I can't seem to get it to slip onto the cam gear. It will slide down just fine until it hits the gear and then it just stops. I have the oil pump set were it should be and the the motor set to 7* BTDC. So i know its not hitting that. And of course I don't want to force it on. What is the chance that the gearing could be wrong on the cam? Or is there something else I am missing.
Help on dizzie install....
- Thread starter Big T
- Start date
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New cam?
New dizzy?
slot in oil pump visually confirmed to be in the right position?
Is it on the stand or in the truck?
Do you have oil in it already?
New dizzy?
slot in oil pump visually confirmed to be in the right position?
Is it on the stand or in the truck?
Do you have oil in it already?
holy crap! you guys have 6 40 series cruisers in the family. I'm jealous. I'm rebuilding a 40 for my brother as a gift right now. It will be some time until we get to six. 
Is the the same distributor that was in the engine prior to the rebuild? Was the distributor mounting block removed as part of the rebuild?
A while back I swapped in a new to me engine that had a mis-match distributor mounting block. When I installed a big cap dizzy, I would have to force it in place - and within 40-60 miles the distributor shaft would snap. Oddly enough an electronic distributor (78 vintage) would slide right in and work just fine. The issue was resolved by swapping in a distributor mounting block from another engine.
I don't know if any of this (mis-matched distributor mounting block) applies to your situation - but the symptoms are similar to what I experienced. In researching my issue, it became clear to me that the distributor mounting block should not be removed in an engine rebuild as it is line bored at manufacture and the bolts holding it in place are staked. I initially loosened the bolts and tried to smoothly seat the dizzy - but it was a no go. As there was another engine block availalbe, we moved over the dizzy mounting block to my engine and luckily it worked.
A while back I swapped in a new to me engine that had a mis-match distributor mounting block. When I installed a big cap dizzy, I would have to force it in place - and within 40-60 miles the distributor shaft would snap. Oddly enough an electronic distributor (78 vintage) would slide right in and work just fine. The issue was resolved by swapping in a distributor mounting block from another engine.
I don't know if any of this (mis-matched distributor mounting block) applies to your situation - but the symptoms are similar to what I experienced. In researching my issue, it became clear to me that the distributor mounting block should not be removed in an engine rebuild as it is line bored at manufacture and the bolts holding it in place are staked. I initially loosened the bolts and tried to smoothly seat the dizzy - but it was a no go. As there was another engine block availalbe, we moved over the dizzy mounting block to my engine and luckily it worked.
If you dont have oil in it it may help to drop the pan a look at the cam worm-gear as you are putting it in. Easy if you have it on a stand. less so if it is in the truck but with two of you it can be done.
Is it hitting the pushrod cover? My sixty has a concave portion that allows the dizzy to seat properly.
- Thread starter
- #13
No not hitting the cover. I do have the dented cover. I'm at a loss. I might pull the pan like you said and take a look at it that way. What a pain. I have no engine stand. It's just on the cherry picker.
ooooooo.... be VERY careful monkeying with it on the hoist. Wrenching can be frustrating but the last thing you want is the stand to fail or tip. Loss of engine/limb/life can ensue. Very strange that you cannot get it in there.
Maybe the cam is not seated properly?
Examination would answer that question but one place I never want to be is under an engine on a hoist. good luck.
Maybe the cam is not seated properly?
Examination would answer that question but one place I never want to be is under an engine on a hoist. good luck.
but even if the cam gear was backwards, wouldnt it slide in, but the rotor slide clockwise vs. counter? I guess maybe not. I just looked and the teeth on my cam gear (no issues installing a dizzy) go down and to the left.
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