'82 S-10 - Stuck Distributor. Need tip or trick for removal

Just an update on my stuck distributor situation.

I think I'm looking at a good case of galling.

It turns out that this is probably the original distributor (24 years old?) AND it has an aluminum housing.

Aluminum Distributor Housing + Iron Engine Block = galling trouble?

The distributor won't move at ALL in the vertical, but it will rotate around ONLY if I smack a lip of the housing with a hammer thus giving me some rotational force. I can get about 20 degrees of movement

I can get a small crowbar under the lip of the housing and against the iron engine block and can TRY to pry it vertical, but it doesn't budge.

I can't get a wrench around the square section of the housing due to little clearance between the firewall and the engine.

I've sprayed PB Blaster on it and let it soak, but no progress.

Anyone have any experience in this sort of thing?

Anyone think that PB Blaster, brute force, AND a propane torch will help?

BTW, the REPLACEMENT distributor has an IRON housing. Seems like someone figured out that aluminum distributors cause problems.

Thanks for any pointers.

I have had the same problem on the 2.5 to I have found that a good penetrating fluid and hammer work good just keep working it back and forth and it eventually comes free the first one I did like to have drove me nuts

Thanks WW for the encouragement.? I'm about to go NUTS. It seems that beating the distributor with a hammer is a bit scary, :shock: but that's what I've been doing. Along with spraying some PB Blaster on it.

I'm still trying to PRY it vertical with a crowbar, but I'm getting nowhere with it. It's not moving. I actually bent the crowbar, so I'll probably go get another one with a bit more strength.

The worst thing that could happen is that I BREAK the top of the distributor off. :Shock: KNOCK ON WOOD. But even that would be progress. I don't think I welcome that outcome though.

I guess I'll stick to beating it with a hammer for a while longer. :Roll: I just wish that I could get a good WHACK at it. Due to it's location, I can only get a good whack from the Passenger side and a bit from the front/above the carburetor.

I'm still spraying the PB Blaster on it because I've read in so many forum postings that it's the stuff. :X but I've yet to see any progress.

I guess I need some faith in my PB Blaster and hammer. ?

I just wanted to report back about the status of my stuck distributor.

It finally came loose.

Unfortunately, I wasn't at the winning end of the crowbar when this wonderful moment occurred.

A friend came over to check out the situation and he was fiddling with it for a few minutes.

He decided to leverage the crowbar against the edge of the vavle cover. Which I had purposefully stayed away from to prevent denting the valve cover. BUT I watched him and decided to allow him his attempt without voicing any comments.

Well. The rest is history.

I truly believe that I loosened it up for him, but he's the one who gets the glory. I won't deprive him of the credit that he deserves.

Anyway, I don't know how much PB Blaster played a part in it, or beating the crap out of it (as carefully as possible) for days on end, or whether it just took some different leverage, but I am a firm believer that beating the crap out of some parts may actually have more merit that I originally gave it.

Thanks to William Walters for the motivation that I needed. And to my friend Mike for not damaging my valve covers.

Otter312.