Distributor Install on 3.0L 930/16

[rodoredas]

Hi guys

bought 81 3.0L engine a few years ago and after 3 years messing around with Sporto gearboxe rebuilds I'm tackling the final assembly of the motor and I'm having some issues with the Distributor.

Z1 is lined up, distribute is anti clockwise rotation and matches gear on main shaft, but I just can't get the distributor into the housing far enough, the holding bracket does not rest on the engine case as you can see in the photo below.

Just how much force is required to seat this properly?

with the distributor in the position shown below turning the engine over rotates the rotor anti clockwise as expected but it just doesn't seem right.

I'm not doing something right, but there is nothing obvious despite references to workshop manuals and rebuild books

cheers
shane

[toddu]

New o-ring in the shaft?

Todd

[Flat6pac]

If you have a new O ring on it, remove it and see if it sits all the way.
With the pulley on Z1, you need to be coming up to the mark but the adjustment will care for that. Remove the plastic cover so you can see the inside of the dist. but keep rotor on
Bruce

[Dr J]

The O-ring does offer a bit of resistance, which may be surprising. If it's the distributor that was there, there should not be fitment problems. Oil the O-ring, try tightening the nut and monitor its progress as it moves down.

[rodoredas]

thanks guys, the o-ring is not new, the distributor and other engine bits (exhaust, oil cooler etc) have been packed up in boxes since I got the engine 3 or so years ago.

I'll remove plastic cover and the o-ring and see how i go, yes it's the Distributor that came with the engine.- here's link to engine purchase.

thanks again for the tips

FS 81' 3.0L complete

cheers

[rodoredas]

thanks for the tips,
removed seal and was able to seat distributor properly, so have ordered a new one, I see now that the old one is too loose and lost it's elasticity.
cheers

[Dr J]

New seal is a good idea since this is a part we don't mess with often. However, you will still find it difficult to install, so don't be surprised at the resistance even with a new seal.

[Baby]

Did it go on? I would not advise tightening the nut to get the housing to seat. The housing metal is easily broken. The tab of my housing broke just from my pushing on it, and I had to get it welded.

The new seal is going to make it super tight. Once you try installing the housing without a seal and confirm that it fits (which it sounds like you did), put the seal on, lube it up as other said with oil or assembly lube, and lube the case as well. I had mine pushed in about as far as yours, as shown in the pic, but it wouldn't go any farther. I put the cap on and tapped the center with a rubber mallet. It popped right in. By "tap" I mean I raised the mallet 12 inches and let it drop. No force but gravity.

[rodoredas]

thanks guys for the tips and advice, all is well. The new seal arrived about 10 days ago and clearly is a much better fit than the old one. The distributor installed quite easily with some lube on the seal and some firm pressure.

It's all good, thanks again

cheers