Distributor cap won't go on. Shaft seems too tall to fit rotor on underneath cap...

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supersoap33

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Frustrated. The cap won't go back on or it goes on, but it's seesawing on the rotor and this isn't how it's supposed to be. The shaft seems too tall or something. The distributor is already out. I can put the cap on without the rotor in place, but it won't go on with the rotor under the cap. Yes, the rotor is fitted in properly with the notch on the distributor shaft and everything, so it's not that. Would appreciate the help.
 
Wrong rotor or simply not pushed down far enough would be my guess.
 
Check the collar on the lower part of the shaft. If it is split, the roll pin gone, or someone before you didn't put the correct spacers between the dist body and collar could cause the shaft to rise. This is assuming you have the correct rotor, and it is seated properly which you already stated.
 
Dana67Dart said:
Photos are worth 1000 words
Click to expand...

20210622_181716.jpg


20210622_181721.jpg


20210622_181725.jpg
 
Wheres the old rotor? Compare to new one?
 
Bad rotor or not actually seated. We ARE after all, in the "century of china"
Something wrong with mechanical advance mechanism
Reluctor not fully seated
 
67Dart273 said:
Bad rotor or not actually seated. We ARE after all, in the "century of china"
Something wrong with mechanical advance mechanism
Reluctor not fully seated
Click to expand...

I think you were right. I hammered the reluctor down a bit. The cap seems to wobble some still, but the reluctor edges are now even with the edge of the pickup coil, so something changed.

******* thing backfired on me. It won't ******* start!
 
67Dart273 said:
Bad rotor or not actually seated. We ARE after all, in the "century of china"
Something wrong with mechanical advance mechanism
Reluctor not fully seated
Click to expand...

Century of China [ WOW ] hope they dont start importing condoms !!!!
I try to hort up all the old US stock of ignition items from members etc while its still here.
 
I have had this happen a few times while rebuilding a distributor . But I cant remember what it was ... @halifaxhops will know . It was something simple. Maybe I got a bigblock part mixed up in the rebuild ?
I will remember at 3am tonight .. lol
 
67Dart273 said:
Bad rotor or not actually seated. We ARE after all, in the "century of china"
Something wrong with mechanical advance mechanism
Reluctor not fully seated
Click to expand...

Yes ! That's it ... the reluctor is installed upside down .
 
Doubt the cap would fit if the reluctor was upside down because of the recess for the rotor.
No spark/backfire. Check that the reluctor is not contacting the pole piece. Should have 0.006-8"air gap.
 
If it was upside down you woud not see the arrows, and the rotor will fit on in either position, Make sure you have the right rotor seems like all of a sudden there are a bunch being passed on as ch-308 and they are ch-303.
 
Did you remove the felt and look to see if the clip is there? As said if it isn't the reluctor could slide up. Have you used this before ? Are you just tuning ? What's the history on this ?
 
brian6pac said:
In the first picture the retainer where the pin goes through looks like it is cracked ?
Click to expand...
Typical OEM Nylon shaft collar, I wont use them had metal ones made up, they fall off and guess where they end up?
 
This style of rotor seems to fit realy tight and sometimes rubs the center electrode of the cap.
s-l1600.jpg


This style always fits
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Pull the reluctor and reinstall . I am sure its the reluctor... might be the pin is not in the slot. It took me a while to figure out what was going on .
I was trying out different curves and had 3 dizzies that I must have taken apart 20x... it happened a few times.
 
mbaird said:
Pull the reluctor and reinstall . I am sure its the reluctor... might be the pin is not in the slot. It took me a while to figure out what was going on .
I was trying out different curves and had 3 dizzies that I must have taken apart 20x... it happened a few times.
Click to expand...

You were right. The reluctor wasn't seated all the way. I banged on it some and got the cap and distributor back in and the car started right up! But then I killed it and went back to start it again to see if it would and it's not even cranking now :( Ran like a beast for 20 mins though! I was so dang proud.
 
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