Problem with Cockshutt Distributor

I received this Email and since I don't have muck experience wit older Cockshutts I thought you fellows would be able to help. They haven't replied back with a model number.

Hi there:

Sure hope you can help two old pensioners.

Writing for my brother Al. He has an older 4 cylinder gas Cockshutt tractor. Was using it and all of a sudden it stopped and will not start. He got the distributor rebuilt and put it back in. The motor was rebuilt about 5 or 6 years ago but only has about 100 hours on it since then. Cam was not replaced. When he puts in the rebuilt distributor and rolls motor over the distributor does not move. Looked from the bottom oil pump and all the gears are turning when motor is turned over.

Can you tell me what you think it could be or at least what to check out. We are baffled.

Any help greatly appreciated as we are both getting a bit too old for this. Young mechanic wants to tear the whole tractor apart and my brother is trying to figure out what it could be.

Thanking you so much in advance.

Merle Smith.

PS: My brother's name is Al Smith Can you email me back - either of us that great with these computers

Gonna need the model number of the tractor, because at least 3 different 4 cylinder gas engines (Buda, Hercules, Continental, maybe another) were used, depending on the tractor model.

Sounds like a broken camshaft (if the distributor runs off the cam)- remove the valve cover, and see if the valves go up and down when you roll the engine over.

Could also be a broken timing chain- if valves don't operate, take the timing cover loose and look to see if the chain is still intact.

Is the dist gear pinned to the shaft ? I had an engine where pin had sheared , but it the gear stayed on the shaft, kind of a loose press fit.

Ok I will take a stab in the dark on this, if we new model of tractor or the engine we could better answer this. First of all the cockshutts use gear driven cam shafts and oil pumps. From your description you are talking about a buda 153 or hercules go198. out of these two all most has to be Buda 153 in model 30. now since you have rebiult distributer then it cant have a broken drive which is my first guess. so with ditributer removed look into hole and while turning motor over can you see top of oil pump ACTUALLY turn or does it appear top notch of pump has broke out? use long screw driver and see if you can turn pump drive gear also gently try turn motor over by hand and try to hold screw driver from turning. I beleive you will find either the pump drive gear notch has broken out or pin has broken. if not you may find oil pump shaft or gear has broken. this may only show up under pressure hense the use of large screw driver. just to be sure though you said distributer is rebiult but check drive to make sure tab isnt broken or pin is broken on it. ony other thing is to check drive teath on cam shaft to make sure they are not broken. let us know what you find. Irv