Help distributor froze

Rebel79 · 07-28-2003, 06:46 PM

Less than a month since my new motor was finished, I heard a screeching noise, and then my car came to a stop. No spark.. nada. it turns out my BRAND NEW MSD distributor froze. It won't turn at all and I can't remove it. I had two buff guys prying up on it, each with a crowbar and we only got it to come up about 1/16" of an inch, and it barely turns. Is there anything I can do to free it up so I can replace it? Once I get it out will I have to pull the motor and check the pan for parts?

QuantumMotorsports · 07-29-2003, 11:04 AM

Man, I hate to tell you this, but if a brand new distributor won't come out, it doesn't sound good. If you get it out, look at it and see if the gear looks damaged or the shaft looks bent or anything. If the gear looks tore up, I'd pull the pan plugs and poor oil down the distributor hole and try to flush out any pieces that might be in there. But even if you get most of the pieces out, I'd be worried that the cam might have been damaged. Good luck man.

86GT · 07-29-2003, 12:32 PM

I had a brand new MSD screw up on me. I had #8582 and had my local machine shop put on the steel gear for it. (The speed shop recommends them). Turns out that the gear was put on wrong, and it cause the bushing with the roll pin (below the main body) to break the roll pin. That seized it right up and wrecked a bearing. The speed shop gave me a replacement and now he doesn't want to send it back to MSD cuz he thinks they won't cover it. So I may be stuck. Watch out for that, cuz if they think you messed it then they may not replace it. Good thing I have a receipt from the machine shop for the work, so if he does send it back and they say no, then he can forward the bill for me to the machine shop. Hope that helps a bit.

mustangII460 · 07-29-2003, 05:04 PM

MSD's have a problem with bottoming out in the block causing unesessary wear on the gear in Fords. I would guess the gear doesn't want to let go. The MSD for Cheby guys have shims to correct this. Seems when you bolt it down, it presses too hard.

Different materials of gears didn't seem to matter when the distributor was set at the right height. Note* it varys from block to block.

nitrousdave · 07-29-2003, 10:30 PM

I'm going through the same thing on my car right now. Mine was due to the wrong gear material. The guys at hardcore5.0 were helpful, go here if you want to check it out: http://bbs.hardcore50.com/vbulletin/...threadid=12769 . There is a pretty good link in that post too. After checking my block I can vouch that not all blocks are the same dimension. The dimension MSD gives would err on the safe side in my case, but I can see how it might not work in all cases. After taking off my oil pan I would highly reccomend that you do the same thing, it is the only way to properly clean out all the chunks and shavings. If yours is like mine there will be pieces up in the motor too. You probably don't want to hear this but you better take a REAL good look at the teeth on your cam because they are more than likely chewed up too, I just had to order a new cam today. Hope this helps some.

mustangII460 · 07-30-2003, 07:26 PM

Ah, thanks nitrousdave. Thats a good description of what I was trying to explian, thanks.

07-28-2003, 06:46 PM	#1
Rebel79 News Editor Join Date: Apr 1999 Location: Concord, CA Posts: 2,101	Help distributor froze Less than a month since my new motor was finished, I heard a screeching noise, and then my car came to a stop. No spark.. nada. it turns out my BRAND NEW MSD distributor froze. It won't turn at all and I can't remove it. I had two buff guys prying up on it, each with a crowbar and we only got it to come up about 1/16" of an inch, and it barely turns. Is there anything I can do to free it up so I can replace it? Once I get it out will I have to pull the motor and check the pan for parts? __________________ Scott Halihan, News Editor The MustangWorks Magazine 1994 Supercharged Mustang Cobra Rebel Racing. Home of Bay Area Mustangs

07-29-2003, 11:04 AM	#2
QuantumMotorsports Registered Member Join Date: Jul 2000 Location: Norman, Oklahoma, USA Posts: 597	Man, I hate to tell you this, but if a brand new distributor won't come out, it doesn't sound good. If you get it out, look at it and see if the gear looks damaged or the shaft looks bent or anything. If the gear looks tore up, I'd pull the pan plugs and poor oil down the distributor hole and try to flush out any pieces that might be in there. But even if you get most of the pieces out, I'd be worried that the cam might have been damaged. Good luck man. __________________ Michael Black QuantumMotorsports Norman, OK 1984 LX Hatch 306 w/ TRW forged flat toppers, Comp Cams Magnum 292H, GT40P heads w/ 3 angle valve job, .550 lift springs, Angus Racing Roller Rockers, Weiand Stealth Intake, Holley 4150 650cfm carb, MAC 1 5/8 Long Tubes, Single Chamber Flowmasters, 91' T5 w/ Pro 5.0 shifter, Turbo Coupe 8.8 Rear w/ 3.55 gears, QA1 Motorsports tubular K member, no interior except steering wheel and seat. Coming soon: 6 or 8 point cage, Fuel Cell, Weld Draglites

07-29-2003, 12:32 PM	#3
86GT Sniffed too much n20 Join Date: Oct 1998 Location: Ont, Canada Posts: 1,018	I had a brand new MSD screw up on me. I had #8582 and had my local machine shop put on the steel gear for it. (The speed shop recommends them). Turns out that the gear was put on wrong, and it cause the bushing with the roll pin (below the main body) to break the roll pin. That seized it right up and wrecked a bearing. The speed shop gave me a replacement and now he doesn't want to send it back to MSD cuz he thinks they won't cover it. So I may be stuck. Watch out for that, cuz if they think you messed it then they may not replace it. Good thing I have a receipt from the machine shop for the work, so if he does send it back and they say no, then he can forward the bill for me to the machine shop. Hope that helps a bit. __________________ 2002 Windsor Weekend Q16 Qualifier

07-29-2003, 10:30 PM	#5
nitrousdave Registered Member Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: south bend, indiana Posts: 24	I'm going through the same thing on my car right now. Mine was due to the wrong gear material. The guys at hardcore5.0 were helpful, go here if you want to check it out: http://bbs.hardcore50.com/vbulletin/...threadid=12769 . There is a pretty good link in that post too. After checking my block I can vouch that not all blocks are the same dimension. The dimension MSD gives would err on the safe side in my case, but I can see how it might not work in all cases. After taking off my oil pan I would highly reccomend that you do the same thing, it is the only way to properly clean out all the chunks and shavings. If yours is like mine there will be pieces up in the motor too. You probably don't want to hear this but you better take a REAL good look at the teeth on your cam because they are more than likely chewed up too, I just had to order a new cam today. Hope this helps some. __________________ 85 GT 10 pt cage 11.68 to 1 408 windsor ported dart sr's super victor 9 inch w/4.11's bigshot plate turbo 350 trans etc etc

07-29-2003, 05:04 PM	#4
mustangII460 Factoy Five Roadster Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sevier Co,Tennessee Posts: 1,681	MSD's have a problem with bottoming out in the block causing unesessary wear on the gear in Fords. I would guess the gear doesn't want to let go. The MSD for Cheby guys have shims to correct this. Seems when you bolt it down, it presses too hard. Different materials of gears didn't seem to matter when the distributor was set at the right height. Note* it varys from block to block.

07-30-2003, 07:26 PM	#6
mustangII460 Factoy Five Roadster Join Date: May 2000 Location: Sevier Co,Tennessee Posts: 1,681	Ah, thanks nitrousdave. Thats a good description of what I was trying to explian, thanks.