Frozen distributor

edhamlin

I've been troubleshooting a couple of problems and have discovered that the distributor will not rotate. Also I have removed the two nuts from the head studs to loosen the lock down assembly and I can't remove (or move at all) the distributor. I checked the vacuum advance and it's working when disconnected from the distributor, but the dang thing won't rotate at all. Can't adjust the timing!



Am I missing something?



I'm thinking of squirting some penetrating oil in the hole where the lube bolt is located and letting it sit a while, then seeing if I can free it up. Any problems with doing that?



Thanks,

Ed

Park_W

Ed, what year and model engine are you working with?

edhamlin

Oh yeah -- forgot that one little detail!! ;-)



It's a 1941 Commodore Six (model 10). I believe it's the smaller engine, but don't hold me to it. It's been upgraded to a 2-bbl carb & manifold, but everything else is the same as the Mechanical Procedures Book says it should be. Which, by the way, doesn't have much information on removing the distributor!! Geez...

edhamlin

By the way, I've been experiencing a problem with overheating, and was about to check the timing. I can still CHECK it, but can't DO anything about it if it's off. Nuts.

edhamlin

Success! By judicious use of a good penetrant and light tapping, after 15 tries I was able to move the distributor with a strap wrench, after which it loosened sufficiently to move by hand. I made sure the grease cup was full and that the other lube points were taken care of.



I still can't find the "special bolt" that holds the distributor in place -- any clues on where it is, in case I want to remove it at some future point?

Huddy42

There is NO special bolt that holds the distributor in, it is only held in by the two head nuts.

edhamlin

Huddy42 wrote:

There is NO special bolt that holds the distributor in, it is only held in by the two head nuts.

Thanks.



I wondered about that - the Mech Proc manual refers to some special bolt, but I sure couldn't find it. Good to know that's because there isn't one.



I'm not sure I can remove the distributor, but I don't really want to if I don't have to. I've freed it up enough to be able to adjust the timing, but it still doesn't want to budge upward out of its hole.

hudsontech

Ed, it isn't well known, but Hudson had a fellow in the factory whose sole job was to toss little tid bits like that into shop manuals, parts books and other publications, knowing that 50 years down the line it would blow somebody's mind!!!!!!!! (Tongue in cheek statement - )



Hudsonly,

Alex Burr

Memphis, TN