86 chevy pu distributor

[mason252]

I'm trying to put a new distributor in my 86 chevy 350 pu. I cant get it to seat in the right position because the oil pump shaft keeps rotating. What's the trick to lining everyting up?

 

[Dennis Benson]

Get a long screw driver, or shape a piece of long flat steel the shape of the end of the distributor, and reach into the end of the shaft of the oil pump and position it. Otherwise, take the oil pan and oil pump off.

 

[Bob]

Drop the distributor in place so it is sitting on the oil pump shaft, and is just a little "late" of where it needs to be. Then crank the engine. The distributor tang will drop into the oil pump drive slot as soon as it aligns, and the timing will then be correct as the distributor drops into place.

Then, snug down the hold-down a bit, and start the engine and set the timing to "spec" with a timing light before the final tightening of the hold-down bolt.