Distributor drive gear installation

[RRSweden]

Hi. I thought I would start my rebulit engine today, but I seem to bump into trouble in every little detail.

It's a 383 (stock oil pump, drive gear and dist. wich all was in the engine before the rebulid, new cam)

Now I'm stuck with the distributor/oilpump drive gear. I can't get it to seat properly. It wont go down all the way into the oil pump... I get it's teeth to meet the cam's teeth and spin as I rotate the engine, but it's not all the way down.
My guess is that the hex-end just don't find it's way down, so It's almost half an inch left.

I pulled it out and spun it around ramdomly at least 8 times to try different positions. I pulled it and rotated the oil pump a little with my prime-tool and had another go, but with the same result every time...
What to do...

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

easiest is to pull the pump , and shaft . and look closer at the issue , might have a bur or somethings wrong with the pump . if the parts are new . stranger thing have happened .

 

[Fran Blacker]

Did this drive come out of this engine. If not you may have one for a Milodon system? They're about a 1/2" longer.

 

[POMONAMISSEL]

for the giant volume pumps .

 

[Fran Blacker]

Use your priming tool as a way to measure from pump to block bushing that the drive gear rides on and compare that to the shaft length.

 

[texas69bee]

Use your priming tool as a way to measure from pump to block bushing that the drive gear rides on and compare that to the shaft length.

^^This^^ and...
The slot in the gear should go front to back. Note the position of the flats on your gear shaft. Now use your priming tool to and turn so flats are in same position as what your gear would be. You may have to make minor adjustments but gear and shaft should rotate in position.

 

[727]

Use a large hammer and drive it home. Whatever breaks first must have been the problem!

 

[Fran Blacker]

Texas69bee is right the slot be straight front back . Need to have number 1 cylinder at TDC firing position. I use a large long handled screw driver. The slot should at say 1 o'clock when drop it in. then turn clockwise it should be close. If it ends up at 4 o'clock turn it counter clock until it jumps a tooth then turn clockwise again.

 

[HEMI-ITIS]

Use a large hammer and drive it home. Whatever breaks first must have been the problem!

You need to splain yerself Lucy

 

[Daves69]

Did you replace the bushing?
You could loosen up the oil pump and verify the shaft will follow it down.
383 the same..............

 

[RRSweden]

I tried The method with a large screedriver, bit it Wont seat all The way down anyway. I dis not replace The bushing, but I cant see why that should give me this particular problem. I'm thinking the cam might be too far back or something?
I used a home made tool to prime the oil pump... Maybe I damaged the hex on the driveshaft for the oil pump? But if anything that should have made the hole bigger...?

 

[Ski 61701]

As Fran mentioned you might have the wrong oil pump drive shaft. When you take it out measure the length of the shaft to the bottom of the gear. Let us know what you come up with

 

[miller]

You can also use a long thin screwdriver, into the bushing, and into the bottom of the hex, of the oil pump drive. Measure from bottom of hex, to top of the bushing, and compare that to the overall shaft length. Should be shorter, than to the bottom of the hexed hole in the drive.

 

[RRSweden]

After a good nights sleep I finally got it in. It just took a liiiiiiittle more force than I thought it wold take. I didn't pound it of course, but pushed a little harder on the screwdriver as I turned it in place.
Thank you for all the advice!

 

[Daves69]

I dis not replace The bushing, but I cant see why that should give me this particular problem.

FWIW, If a new bushing was installed and not sized for the shaft diameter it could cause binding.

 

[Ski 61701]

Id take it back out, just as Dave mentioned if the bushing wasnt reamed to fit the shaft you could run into probs, such as bushing possibly spinning in the block. The shaft should've slid right in the bush.
You have spent all this time and $$ on your motor, I'd make sure clearance is correct

 

[Daves69]

Mopar actually says burnish.
How to do it is about mid page here...........
http://www.justanswer.com/dodge/7ly0d-dakota-1993-dodge-dakota-v6-3-9-going.html