Mark:

Don't give up now, you're almost there.  The cam may be stuck to the distributor shaft.  Have you put penetrant in there?  Grip the distributor shaft in a vise (grip it above the gear so as to not scar the bottom of the shaft below the gear), and try to rock the cam back and forth, maybe with a pair of pliers where the rotor sits.  Any scars there are no big deal, can be filed out.  Once you get it moving back and forth, try to find a screwdriver blade that will fit between the vertical legs of the clip and spread it apart, while holding upward pressure on the cam assy.  You will eventually use the right word and combination of pressure and screwdriver work and the clip will release and you can get the cam off.  I'd be surprised if the weights are frozen, it's usually the cam.  Good luck.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

wait... the upright "legs" on that little clip should be spread apart, not brought together... like squeezing them with pliers... to release it and then it will come out??!!

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

Marve, i thought i could shed some light on those ball bearing breaker plates distributors, you are 100 % right on hard to get straight arm vacuum unit and the plates were obsolete yrs back, my point is we had the loadamatic and supprisingly Only had the ball bearing type breaker plate distributors here in the yblocks. Nearly all the US origin engines i have come across have the curved arm vac unit and floppy breaker plate. You are fortunate to have access to remanufactured distributors. regards bill.

  AussieBill            YYYY    Forever Y Block     YYYY

 Down Under, Australia

Yes you are right. spreading is the word.



I have sometimes seen the area above the clip like riveted slightly from the clip running around and making a sharp edge which is larger than the shaft clearance.

I have used a puller like a battery post puller to hook on the cam and with the small puller rod being able to go down inside the cam I have pulled them off.

Trying to run from memory

marv

Bill:



The only place I have seen those distributors with the ball bearing plate were on the very early 57's and some of the 58 trucks with 292's all others had the curved vacuum arms

marv

dang, I just realized that I have an "audience" for this problem...

will continue trying to get the clip out and then the cam;  wondering if the cam engages the shaft so that it turns with the shaft at all times... and also if there's any way to check the function of the weights without removing the cam... in case I can't get that dang little clip out!

hope to conclude this ordeal soon... I'd much rather post success stories than whine about some problem!

but thanks to all who have offer advice!

Mark

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

You can check the weight movement by clamping the distributor in a vice. Clamp between the gear and the housing so you don't scar the machined surface below the gear which acts as a bearing surface in the block.



While clamped in the vice grab the two weights and try to pull outward to make the cam slide in the two slots. The cam should move in a rotational direction at the same as the weights slide in the slot The weights are a centrifugal device so when engine rpm increases they will move farther away from their idle position.



To remove the clip I usually use a flat screwdriver about the width between the two tangs. Slide the screwdriver downwards to spread the tangs and at the same time hook on one of the tangs with a needle nose and pull upwards. You may need a helper to hold the screwdriver in place.



Give us another picture to see what position the weights are at so we can give more advice.

marv

success!  with the help of my 14 yr old son (my #1 mechanic!), got the clip out, put the vice grips on the shaft, wiggled and shook,  and finally have the weights broken loose!  they move simultaneously, right?

filled the body of the dist up with WD40 and will let it sit overnight and mop it out tomorrow.

no "wick" in the top of the shaft above the C clip... surprise, surprise;  guess I'll make a "replacement" out of some kind of material for that. 

Also, the dist. body has an oil input on the outside with a spring-loaded lid on it; looks like it would be for putting lube in about half way down the shaft;I tried putting some oil in there but am pretty sure its clogged after so many years... guess I can shoot some WD40 down that till it gets cleared up... reckon there is a "wick" in that as well?

will post more pics when I get the thing fully cleaned up.

thanks again to all who have cheered me on in this little drama.  With no advance at all, this thing started up and ran... with a more fully functioning timing system, I'm looking forward to some real driving!!

stay warm!  Mark

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX

Mark:

The wicks are made of a pretty loose felt.  The one on top is the diameter of the hole and about 1/4" tall.  The lower one is the same material, don't know the dimensions.  You may have to whip a cowboy, steal his hat, and cut it up to make wicks.  Actually, I think hat felt is a little denser than the original.

John - "The Hoosier Hurricane"

well, if I wasn't a Texan, your suggestion about "whippin' a cowboy and stealing his hat..." might be do- able,

but, alas, as a true Texan, I can't go there...

...guess I'll just have to get my wife to go to the local craft store and buy me some felt...

cause as a "real" Texan, I can't go in a craft store... unless they are selling saddles.

"God Bless Texas"location: Houston,TX