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MG TD TF 1500 - Freeing a Stuck Distributor

Another TD has surfaced. Got a call asking for help to get a TD started. We managed to do so, main problem was with the floats. However we found that the distributor is absolutely frozen in place. It's an early engine with the clamp. Reaching down and judiciously tapping on it in a radial direction is of no benefit. Liberal soaking with PBBlaster hasn't helped. All suggestions gladly accepted. Thanks, Bud.
Bud Krueger



Hi Bud- I have had the same problem on many 'frozen' ones. This seems to wok for me. Now that the PB has had some to creep, try this. Put a leather belt around the aluminum body, apply pressure like you were unscrewing an oil filter and tap on the dist body lightly at the same time (use a small brass hammer, plastic hammers will not cut it ). I know this sounds SPARTAN but it has always worked for me. Did you get my email in reference to my original TD dated steering wheel? mick
mick

Hi Bud --- Remember that the pot metal body of the dist. is molded onto the steel part that goes down into the block. Presumably it's the steel part that is stuck in the block. Any tapping on the body of the dist. may loosen the bond between the pot metal and the steel. Even trying to loosen it by tapping on the bracket that clamps the dist. is really tapping the body because on all that I have seen the clamp fastens to the body of the dist. not to the steel part of the dist. Of course the best way would be to bash the bottom of the steel part from inside the sump but I realize you are trying to loosen it without removing the sump.

I have had very bad experiences with old pot metal simply crumbling in your hands when it gets to be 70 years old. I had to machine a new dist. body for a 1923 Studebaker because the original simply fell to pieces.( The car goes like gangbusters now). Now I realize that there are various types of pot metal, some of which may survive 70 years in good health. But be alert to the problem.
Good Luck Getting This One Going!
Bob
R. K. (Bob) Jeffers

Bud: try using 2 or 3 different types of penetrating oils. I have found this often works better than one. Good luck, Bill
bill cook

Am probably going to try a strap wrench for torque while tapping with a brass hammer. Trying to keep in mind the 'physician do no harm' philosophy. The most effective penetrating product that I've found is called "Busty". It smells much better than PBBlaster and the picture of 'Busty' on the can isn't bad either.
Bud Krueger

Another good one is "Thrust"...think it might kill a dolphin or two by the time it reaches the Atlantic!
gordon lawson - TD 27667

This thread was discussed between 12/04/2006 and 14/04/2006

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