hey guys ! i know this might be really dumb what i did but i was installing new points in my 71 mav 6cyl and when i was screwin in one of the screws it fell into a little hole in the distributer plate and idk how to get it out can someone help me please . I feel like a dumbass , if someone could help me i would really appreciate it.
First, take something and make a mark from the base of the distributor to the base of the block. Then put the rotor back on and mark where it is pointing. Disconnect one or two vaccume lines depending on your car, unscrew the screw at the base of the distributor, and lift it out. When you reinstall it, just make sure the mark at the base lines up with the mark on the block, and the rotor lines up with the other mark you made. Do not turn the engine while you have the distributor out, otherwise you'll have to set cylinder 1 to TDC and start all over again with your timeing and stuff. (I personally always double check the timeing after messing with points anyways...)
you will be if you don't do it like Jamie suggested...the dist. shaft turns as it goes in so start it a little off the mark to start with. it will screw into the block and then it will be right... sometimes you have to try it a few times to get it in...i also take a pic.or 2 of the dist. before i pull it ... ...
Yea, and it can be kind of a PITA to get the oil pump shaft to engage sometimes. I had that problem when I put the Duraspark II distributor in my engine about this time last year.
Why not just pull the breaker plate and get the screw that way? After all it is just 2 screws that hold it down. I try not to overthink things.
I agree! it is a lot easier to pull the breaker plate than it is for a novice to pull the distributor and get it back in correctly. BTW, if it is a brass screw a magnet won't work - and a lot of those screws are plated brass.
Do you not also have to screw with pulling the bumpy doo-dad and vaccume advance and all that crap? I hate messing with distributors, so to me, a couple of marks and one bolt is alot easier then trying to dissasemble the thing.
After you take the dist. hold down off, if dist. doesn't want to come out, rotate engine by hand in opposite direction. Works on v8's not sure on the sixes. Like above said, make sure you mark dist. before you pull it. Find your #1 spark wire, line up your timing mark on crankshaft with the rotor pointing to #1. (crank timing mark lines up twice in one dist. rotation) When reinstalling, dist. will probably not fall all the way back in. Bump engine over while pushing down on dizzy, oil pump shaft should seat when dizzy hits bottom. Always double check timing marks and #1 rotor placement! Unless you are a real hairy person and would like eyebrows, arm hair removed. Then get ready for fire out the carb! Clean dist up while out and dont forget to lube the lobes. Good Luck
