Stuck distributor gear 318la

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mopar56

mopar56

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I have a 70 318 in my 56 dodge, I have had the engine many years and its time to run it, the motor was stored years before I got it and has only 16000 original miles, Yes 16000, honestly it looks as new BUT I'm trying to prime the pump I got the distributor out but can not get the gear out to get the prime shaft down coupled to this dilemma is the fact the distributor sits back under the firewall so I'm working blind or with a mirror, any ideas? Don't want to pull the intake as I only put it on a few months ago, thanks.
 
Forget it. Here's what I'd do.

I assume you have fresh oil in the engine. Crank the engine briefly with the filter off. It should prime and pump oil out the filter mount in about 2 seconds or less. Even if it has to crank 5 or a bit more, that won't hurt a thing. Fill the filter and install it

Now pull the oil sender and figure out a way to pump oil into the engine. Grease gun is slow but will work, I'd rig some sort of pressure vessel. And refrigeration can. Section of pipe or even PVC Something that will hold about a quart, that you can pressurise and force oil in

But I doubt I'd even do that. After priming the pump with the filter demounted, I'd just fill the filter and crank it. Leaving the pluts out will ease that, but if it's near "ready to run" wire it up and run it. Squirt a bit of oil in the plug holes to lube the cylinders and rings.
 
Yeah, I'm thinking I'm opening a can of worms if I go further, I might try your filter idea, one thing i should have mentioned is I had to change the oil pan/pick up to a truck pan hence why I want to make sure I got pressure.
 
Spray some PB Blaster penetrating oil on that intermediate shaft gear so it runs down over the edge on the the shaft that drives the oil pump.

Let it sit overnight, then large tip screw driver that you can get in there. Then rotate the distributor drive gear clockwise and rotate the driver gear and shaft up out of there.

Screenshot_20230106-192844_Gallery.jpg


Now you can get on to priming with the oil pump.
 
I was just down that same rabbit hole with my 20+ yr sleeping 318. I dumped a half quart of oil over the gear w the disrtubutor out. I had to move the crank back & forth w a socket and the aforementioned big, wide straight screwdriver. The other part was a coat hanger bent to match the pitch of the intermediate gear with a little 90* hook on the end. Not easy on a motor that has set a bit. Don't forget to mark #1 before you remove the distributor. I feel your pain.
 
Sounds like the shaft is stuck in the bushing. I would remove the dist and turn the engine over backwards by hand. I’ve had luck as the spiral cut gear will walk it’s way up ward as the camshaft turns backwards. If that does not work you can either pressure oil thru the oil sender unit 1/8” pipe plug or remove the intake and using a screw driver or small pry bar pop it out. Other option is remove the pan and take the oil pump off and tap the shaft from the bottom.
PB blaster as mentioned will also be a simple solution.
Keep us posted.
 
Ok thanks for the replys, after getting back from dinner out with the wife I sprayed down the top of the shaft with PB Blaster, I did also index the distributor before removing it, I'll try again tomorrow after it soaks, I might dump some marvel mystery oil to then I'll try the other tricks mentioned above, thanks for the help. What a PIA, wish the distributor was in the front like a big block!
 
Service manual instructions to re- index the pump and distributor.
This is done with the engine at TDC compression stroke.
 

Attachments

  • 318-340-DISTRIBUTOR-DRIVE-GEAR-ALIGNMENT (4) (1).pdf
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Remove the filter and fill with oil. Fill engine with oil. Remove spark plugs. Poor some oil over the distributor drive gear. Put the distributor back in. Crank engine until oil pressure comes up. Put the spark plugs back in. Start, set timing and idle speed. Enjoy your new ride.
 
Well looks like I'm going to have to do as suggested above, fill the filter aand hope for the best short of dynamite this gear is not coming out, I've tried all the ways mentioned above and as mentioned I'm working blind as the distributor hole is under the over hang of the fire wall ...so frustrating! Well, I sure hope it's going to make op at least I got a mechanical gauge to varify.
 
I think you'll be fine. Just don't go crazy with the RPM's. Get the oil pressure up on the gauge first. Then you can play. I've saved many an old engines this way that sat outside and were never taking apart.
 
If you till have trouble pull the plugs out and use the starter to crank the engine until you get pressure. Leaving the plugs out keeps compression off the bottom end until you get oil
 
Yes I agree , plugs out, oil down the distributor hole, oil in the filter, crank engine, cross fingers that oil pressure is present, if so, plugs back in and fire up, probably won't get back to that until next week now, other things to do on the " honey do " list!!
 
So for anyone following this, the wife went out for some shopping therapy so I went to the garage, lol, I tried cranking the engine with a full filter as suggested but still no oil pressure so i decided to pull the oil pan and found my issue. It seems the dumbass ( that's me ) that swapped the sump and oil pan didn't engage the oil pump boss in the block properly soooo....it wasn't making pressure also I think thats why I couldn't pull the gear cause it was jammed, so after sorting that out, I was able to now remove the oil pump to distributor drive gear and insert a priming shaft, I squeezed the trigger on the small 1/2 cordless drill I used and even though I had not re-installed the pan yet with oil there was just enough in the system to pump up through the sender hole So....once I re-install the pan next week with the fresh gasket I ordered today I should be able to prime the system and read pressure. Thanks for all the suggestions as always! BTW I also pulled a rod bearing cap just to check nothing got damaged during cranking and all looks good. Pictures attached for reference in case anyone else runs into this.

Screenshot_20230108_155438_Gallery.jpg


Screenshot_20230108_155428_Gallery.jpg
 
Did pretty much the same thing one time - may have been the first time - reinstalled an oilpump.
Pulled the pump and had cracked the nose.
Or maybe I went to the parts guy at the dealer first and then pulled it, but whichever the sequence he knew immediately. Said something like "everyone does that once". So got a new pump and made sure I held up tight to the block while snugging up attaching bolts. Lesson learned...
 
Thanks for the update. Glad that everything worked out. And no broken parts.
 
You also said you replaced the pan and pickup, Make sure the pickup is right on the bottom of the pan.
 

Attachments

  • LA Engine oil pick up location 2.pdf
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