I cant pull the distributor out.

[studawg]

It will not budge and will only turn with taps from a rubber hammer. I have soaked it with PB blaster, wd40, everything, it will not come out. I need to get it out, clean it up, replace the hold down clamp, and set the timing properly. The other reason I need to get it out is because one of the screws from the cap broke and a piece of stud is stuck in the distributor body. I have heard of dropping the pan and going at it from underneath, but I REALLY dont want to do that. Any ideas or experience with this problem?

 

[Fast Eddy]

Not sure how to attach it, but you need to use a slide hammer.

I couldn't get mine out either, but I was only replacing the vacuum advance, and I was able to do it in place.

Edit: here...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/572123-made-tool-remove-stuck-distributor-dizzy.html

 

[desertpat]

Someone on this forum did make a slide hammer tool that I thought was impressive, but I removed a stubborn dist without it.
This is not a new problem.
Basically, you have to put an upward force on the dist body and at the same time tap the lower curved side of the dist body with a sharp upward blow - at the same time.
There's about 1" of a close tolerence metal to metal fit with an O-ring seal that you have to overcome.
Tap all around with some hard plastic hammer while pulling up - do continue with the chemicals.
Maybe I used a big screwdriver prying up on the body while tapping up on the opposite side and then switching sides????
Rotate and do-it-again.
Prying up on 2 sides while tapping is even better.
I don't think there is anything on the low end holding it in and all this doesn't make sense where you can rotate the body??
But do allow the rotor shaft to rotate freely as it needs to.

I saw this before 2 times - one was a dist that had probably never been pulled out and the other was a new dist just put in.
Go figure!

 

[Degnol]

I just break off the top and push the broken stub down in the oil pan.

 

[studawg]

Not sure how to attach it, but you need to use a slide hammer.

I couldn't get mine out either, but I was only replacing the vacuum advance, and I was able to do it in place.

Edit: here...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/40-55-series-tech/572123-made-tool-remove-stuck-distributor-dizzy.html

Thats what I was thinking, I guess I am going to have to look around for different attachments that might work.

 

[studawg]

Someone on this forum did make a slide hammer tool that I thought was impressive, but I removed a stubborn dist without it.
This is not a new problem.
Basically, you have to put an upward force on the dist body and at the same time tap the lower curved side of the dist body with a sharp upward blow - at the same time.
There's about 1" of a close tolerence metal to metal fit with an O-ring seal that you have to overcome.
Tap all around with some hard plastic hammer while pulling up - do continue with the chemicals.
Maybe I used a big screwdriver prying up on the body while tapping up on the opposite side and then switching sides????
Rotate and do-it-again.
Prying up on 2 sides while tapping is even better.
I don't think there is anything on the low end holding it in and all this doesn't make sense where you can rotate the body??
But do allow the rotor shaft to rotate freely as it needs to.

I saw this before 2 times - one was a dist that had probably never been pulled out and the other was a new dist just put in.
Go figure!

Quite certain this one has never been pulled, 36k miles on the truck.

 

[Spike Strip]

From underneath the truck, put a long 2x2 under the body of the dissy and whack with a dead blow. Works every time.

 

[kiwidog]

Removing distributor

Back 1987 when I bought the 1980 FJ40 for $900 it wasn't running very well.
Drove it home and went to check the timing. It was way of the ball on the flywheel. Went to move the distributor and it wouldn't budge. Got under the truck and tapped on the housing with a piece of 1 1/4 x1/4 flat bar about 18" long. It took a few taps both gentle and hard from side to side on the rear side and the front side. It eventually came out with only a little hammer rash on the underside of the distributor housing. When I pulled the distributor partial apart the problem was the vacuum advance had fallen off the points ( sensor plate on a 1980) plate. It was partial rotating freely in the distributor so the timing was going for advance to retard as the plate move back and forward. It still ran, although not very well. The mechanic's at the Toyota dealership had checked it but couldn't adjust the timing so they gave up. They told the used car manager that they would have to overhaul the engine. When I found out about it I made an offer of $800 and the manager said $900 and I said deal. I have had that truck ever since 1987 and once the distributor was fixed I have never had it out of the block since. I think if I checked the timing now it would be almost exactly correct going on how it runs and starts.
The tapping trick from below as Spike say works. Using a piece of wood would mean that you don't get hammer rash on the bottom of the housing of the distributor.

Thanks jb

 

[Pighead]

From underneath the truck, put a long 2x2 under the body of the dissy and whack with a dead blow. Works every time.

Yup, sometimes it just happens and you gotta use a hammer on it.

 

[studawg]

From underneath the truck, put a long 2x2 under the body of the dissy and whack with a dead blow. Works every time.

Too late, I just broke the top off and poked the rest down in the oil pan. Just kidding. That sounds like a good idea. Thanks for the suggestion.

 

[studawg]

Back 1987 when I bought the 1980 FJ40 for $900 it wasn't running very well.
Drove it home and went to check the timing. It was way of the ball on the flywheel. Went to move the distributor and it wouldn't budge. Got under the truck and tapped on the housing with a piece of 1 1/4 x1/4 flat bar about 18" long. It took a few taps both gentle and hard from side to side on the rear side and the front side. It eventually came out with only a little hammer rash on the underside of the distributor housing. When I pulled the distributor partial apart the problem was the vacuum advance had fallen off the points ( sensor plate on a 1980) plate. It was partial rotating freely in the distributor so the timing was going for advance to retard as the plate move back and forward. It still ran, although not very well. The mechanic's at the Toyota dealership had checked it but couldn't adjust the timing so they gave up. They told the used car manager that they would have to overhaul the engine. When I found out about it I made an offer of $800 and the manager said $900 and I said deal. I have had that truck ever since 1987 and once the distributor was fixed I have never had it out of the block since. I think if I checked the timing now it would be almost exactly correct going on how it runs and starts.
The tapping trick from below as Spike say works. Using a piece of wood would mean that you don't get hammer rash on the bottom of the housing of the distributor.

Thanks jb

thanks kiwi