distributor dust cover stuck

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

My dust cover seems really stuck inside the distributor cap.
I don't want to break it or the cap.
Any suggestions?

 

ptfarmer

Well-known Member

Location

San Antonio, Tx

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

What year, and the tractor model.

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

I'm sorry. It's a Ferguson TO 35

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

Some times you can take the handle end of a screw driver or other such plastic thing and tap up wards on it and pop it off. Or take a flip tip screw driver and slip it under the edge of the dust cover then twist and pop it off. Or just tap around on it a bit with the screw driver handle

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

Maybe I wasn't clear?? It is stuck inside the distributor cap. I'll take the cap off this afternoon and try and get it out.
If the dust cover breaks, is it necessary to have a dust cover for the motor to run?

 

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boler76

Member

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

no not an absolute necessity

 

Charles in Aus.

Well-known Member

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

Has the rotor button come off with the cap ? If so is it stuck inside the cap behind the dust cover ? Try smacking the cap flat carefully down onto a smooth steel or stone plate , its own weight should dislodge it .
I'm curious though , just how did it get stuck up there in the first place ?

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

So the cap rotor and dust cover came off as a whole unit instead of 3 parts. That can be a bit harder to deal with but still a small screw driver tip or an ice pick tip can go a long way is popping it free. As for if needed on some it is and other it is not

 

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Dieseltech

Well-known Member

Location

Akron, Indiana

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

Early Delco cap with two clips, yes you need to keep the cover as it locates the cap in the correct place by the cap tang. The late two screw cap you could leave it out as it's mainly for keeping out dust.

 

Charles in Aus.

Well-known Member

• Oct 27, 2017

• #1

Seeing that the dust cover has a hole in the centre for the rotor button then it shouldn't be too hard to put an ' L ' shaped probe or lever into it and pull downwards . If it is stuck so hard that that won't move it I would be concerned that the cover has somehow fused to the contacts in the cap .

 

Charles in Aus.

Well-known Member

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

An afterthought ; the dust cover is made of Aluminium , the cap Bakelite , try chucking the lot into the freezer for a night . The cover should shrink enough to loosen it from the cap sides .

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

Thanks, If I can't get it unstuck--I'll try putting it in the freezer.

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

That is my concern that the two are fused together.

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

It's an early Delco--so it's good to know the dust cover is necessary.

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

Yes, all three (rotor, dust cover, and cap came off together.
I'm going to order all three new parts--but I'd like to run it first to see if I need more parts (the carb is suspect also)

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

That is why I posted to see if there is a trick to separating them or if this is a normal
problem.
It has always been parked inside. The guy I bought it from a few years ago kept impeccable
care of it. But became senile and I'm just finding out that he stopped maintaining it
before he sold it to me. I assumed it need no maintenance. I know--never assume.

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

On that one I am not sure but if like some fords there is also a spring clip that holds the rotor tight and if so you will need that also. You also might be able to stick the end of a screw driver into the distributor shaft hole and sort of pry it out

 

OP

OP

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culbrethb

New User

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

I want to thank everyone for their help--it helped!
I couldn't get the dust cover and rotor out of the distributor cap. It seemed really stuck and I didn't want to break it.
The advise convinced me that I just needed to unhook the distributor cap and turn it upside down under a light. It had a slot that a small screw driver fits into and lets you pop off the dust cover.
I labeled the cap with whiteout and tagged the wires. Which will be beneficial in the future.

 

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old

Well-known Member

• Oct 28, 2017

• #1

Yes firing order is super important and if you get that wrong your in for a big head ache