Ford 460 Distributor is stuck.

[mgbbob]

Hi, Maybe a bit off target with this one but I know others have had the problem. 89 Ford F450 with a 460 motor and the ignition module is bad. The distributor won't turn at all to allow access to the mounting bolts. It has been soaking in Kroil for over a week, we have tried moderate heat, aluminum manifold, hammer, pry bar and no results. Anyone out there had this problem and can recommend a solution it would be greatly appreciated.

 

[JeepYJ]

LS or Cummins swap?

I’ve had them stuck in older engines than that. Sometimes taking the hold down clamp off or very loose and then running the engine for awhile will get them freed up.

 

[66HertzClone]

Have you tried an band type oil filter wrench?

 

[ericg]

I have seen situations where a slide hammer had to be used to remove the distributor as nothing was able to get it to rotate.

Bosch Distributor Puller – Slide Hammer Attachment for VW

Remove stubborn VW distributors fast with the Bosch Distributor Puller Slide Hammer Attachment. 3 Models fit 009s, 36hp, 40hp.

fritzcp.com

 

[Mick56]

There is a can of spray called Freeze Off, I had some and it really worked for me. Direct the spray at the base of the dist. The cold may shrink it enough to break the bond.

 

[cvairwerks]

Tried a correct size distributor wrench to get to the hold down bolt?

 

[Ramblin Man]

I was in your situation a month ago. Same truck, same engine. I loosened the hold down bolt, sprayed penetrant at distributor base and let it set about 15 minutes. Then I put an adjustable wrench on the square section of the distributor shaft and started applying pressure in both directions. I had victory in a few minutes.

 

[Steve_P]

I know this isn't the correct method, and total hackery, but I've had at least one stuck distributor that I had to use a pipe wrench on decades ago to free it up. And it worked very quickly.
Edit- to be clear, I used a small pipe wrench on the distributor housing's shaft; not on the base where the cap mounts. You probably wouldn't want to mess with the base that the cap mounts on because at least some distributor housings are a two-piece construction.

If there are flats on the distributor shaft as said above, then use this method!

 

[redwrench60]

Time for a good old Ford ignition module wrench. It is offset so you don’t have to mess with the distributor at all and has the required screw sizes. Used to use one of these a lot back in the day.

 

[finn]

The newest 460 is 27 years old, so if the ignition module wrench doesn’t work, and the pipe wrench breaks the housing, have a remanufactured distributor on hand.

 

[redwrench60]

Here it is. Took a minute to find it.

 

[no704]

Replaced my distributor on my 73 ford 360 with a GM HEI style one from eBay. Love it!

 

[Schurkey]

GM is easy. I don't know about Ford/Chrysler/Toyota/Yugo.





For the record, penetrating oils including Kroil are the WRONG PRODUCT to release a stuck distributor. Consider aerosol carb/throttle body cleaner to dissolve that varnish. Of course, this works better when the distributor is sealed with a paper gasket rather than an O-ring, unless you can get some movement of the distributor so the solvent can work it's way downward.

 

[Schurkey]

There is a can of spray called Freeze Off, I had some and it really worked for me. Direct the spray at the base of the dist. The cold may shrink it enough to break the bond.

I tried "Freeze-Off" on another project. Total waste of time. Might as well grab a can of aerosol "duster", or just pop a pounder of R134a.

Freeze-Off had FAR too much oil, and not enough refrigerant. Grotesquely messy, didn't cool the assembly like they promised.

Replaced my distributor on my 73 ford 360 with a GM HEI style one from eBay. Love it!

FAR better design and concept. Whether the Asian knock-offs of the Delco HEI components--aluminum housings/steel gears 'n' shafts/advance mechanism/coils/bushings/lube and lube-channels have any accuracy/reliability/service life is up for debate.

Seems like a favorite trick is to NOT drill the holes into the housing by the grease reservoir, so even if the Communists pack the thing with lube...that lube cannot get to the upper bushing. And who is gonna tear the thing apart to see if it's properly-machined. Especially since you'd almost have to destroy the grease-seal to verify the drillings; and GM discontinued those seals years ago. So the upper bushing service life is extremely limited due to lack of lube.

 

[NHtoolguy]

I have seen situations where a slide hammer had to be used to remove the distributor as nothing was able to get it to rotate.

Bosch Distributor Puller – Slide Hammer Attachment for VW

Remove stubborn VW distributors fast with the Bosch Distributor Puller Slide Hammer Attachment. 3 Models fit 009s, 36hp, 40hp.

fritzcp.com

Years ago, I had a stuck distributor in a Cadillac V-8. I had to destroy it to break it free.

 

[Milton Shaw]

I have had luck soaking in carb cleaner. It will soak and release the motor slug that builds on the distributor body in the block. Try quirting around the shaft/bpdy every 10 minutes as it soaks in.