Re: MSD Distributor for AMC v8 - anyone used it?

does anyone know if the edelbrock cam for the AMC 304 - part # edl

2132 has a removeable gear? If it does, I think the installer put it on backwards, that is why the dist gear wont mesh....If the gear is not removeable I'm at a loss again!

to answer my own question: yes the cam has a removeable gear - but if it was put on backwards is there a difference? My mind is not engineer orientated enough to figure this out but in simple terms it seems the gear would be the same installed either way. For example if the gear on the cam went on like this:

/////->motor

and you rotate it (put it on backwards)

it would still look like this:

/////->motor

Am I correct here?

Put a little white lithium grease on the distributor gear and try installing it to see where that grease touches. then report back.

I remember someone having problems with a 304/360/401 aftermarket timing cover causing the gears of the distributor to self destruct. This should not be your case with your original though. You should not have to pull the camshaft, but you may have to pull the timing cover if the gear attached to the camshaft is not the correct one.

later, dave AKA vwdoc1

Well, I feel really dumb right now...I was out there inspecting the gear with a flashlight and comparing it with the gears on my 2 distributors. They looked to be a matching set, and on top of that, they looked brand new. The MSD gears are more of a square cut making them harder to insert. I started putting the distributor in very slowly and noting where the stop occured. Then I would lift up and rotate the rotor a little and push it back down. I did this until I could feel the oil pump shaft go into the distributor. Once I knew everything was lined up I started hitting the top of the distributor with the palm of my hand and after about 3 licks it dropped into place. It was just a VERY tight fit because of the new gears. I had been using cam lube and this time I used white lithium grease from a spray can - not sure it that had anything to do with it or not. This concludes the distributor gear probelm, stay tuned for my next question when it arises.

I was getting ready to tear the timing cover off to find out, but now there is no need.

Good site, thanks for the link.

good news and let us know how it does. later, dave AKA vwdoc1

distributor

It is awesome! I've never owned a jeep with so much power. I have only got

10 miles on the new engine, but I can tell its gonna be great. This thing rumbles.....check it out:

I've still got some wiring to clean up under the hood, a little body work and some BIG fender flares, and some interior under dash wiring to clean up. Then it'll be solid.

I wouldn't say "drop" but yes I got it in. I did turn the engine - A LOT, but couldn't get it to seat. Then I climbed up under the hood and got close to the thing and persuaded it to go in.