Missing distributor gear/short shaft

[72 charger]

Just got my 383 back from being rebuilt. Bought a new distributor from napa to replace the old one but when you stick it down in the block it doesn't catch on anything and it looks like maybe there is a gear missing or something. The new distributor shaft is about 1in shorter from the gasket to the shaft end than the hold opening for the shaft to the distributor opening.

 

[Deleted member 214]

There is a gear with a shaft on it that goes into the hole in the block, the gear rides on the camshaft and the shaft on the end goes into the oil pump below it. If that wan't put back when the motor was rebuilt, that's your problem.

 

[72 charger]

There is a gear with a shaft on it that goes into the hole in the block, the gear rides on the camshaft and the shaft on the end goes into the oil pump below it. If that wan't put back when the motor was rebuilt, that's your problem.

I think this is the problem but just to make sure the end of the distributor shaft then goes into that gear?

 

[Deleted member 214]

Yes. The long end of the piece on the right side of the piece in the picture goes into the oil pump and the fatter short piece on the left side in the picture sticks up past the cam. The screwdriver-like end of your distributor goes into a slot in that end of the intermediate shaft. The crank turns the cam, the cam turns the intermediate shaft which turns the oil pump and distributor.

 

[74sundance]

All true Make sure that the builder installed the bronze bushing known as a "Distributor drive shaft bushing" back into the hole before you drop that distributor in. Here is a pic. They are about $7.00



This is how/where it go's,but press it in all the way.



This is how/where the shaft go's

 

[72 charger]

All true Make sure that the builder installed the bronze bushing known as a "Distributor drive shaft bushing" back into the hole before you drop that distributor in. Here is a pic. They are about $7.00

View attachment 35478

This is how/where it go's,but press it in all the way.

View attachment 35479

This is how/where the shaft go's
View attachment 35480

Thanks for the pictures and the info. I called the machine shop turns out he didnt install the shaft because he didnt have the distributor to put in so he just left it out and I have it with the box of parts he gave me.