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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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 Been trying to get my distributor put in and it's been a struggle. I thought I finally got it in but now see a set screw looking thing up against the distributor gear. It's facing the lifter on the eighth cylinder I think. What is it and why is it interfering with the distributor gear? Can I just screw it in further or is it supposed to be there? I tried gently turning the engine around a bit but it is not moving. 
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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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If you remove the set screw, then fully seat the distributor, will there be enough space to reinsert the set screw without it interfering with the distributor? Does the 54 Lincoln engine otherwise have an external distributor hold-down clamp? If the set screw takes the place of a hold-down clamp, like the hold-down clamp, it doesn't go in/on until the distributor is fully seated.
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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It does have a clamp thing on the top of the block.
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By DryLakesRacer - 2 Years Ago
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Removed. Not realizing what the the question referred to.
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By RB - 2 Years Ago
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Looks to me like that is a plug on the end of the lifter oil gallery Just screw it in further
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By FORD DEARBORN - 2 Years Ago
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I agree that is looks like an oil galley plug that should be a flush or close to the surface type plug. They are available in various thicknesses. The shop probably didn't realize a distributor gear needed to clear that plug. I did look at a basic picture of the oiling system of a Lincoln Y-block and it does look like there is an oil galley front to back at each lifter bank.?
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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Thanks y'all. I didn't know if there was a specific amount of tightening that plug needed to be and didn't want to mess it up
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By mjs - 2 Years Ago
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Ah that dreaded plug. I ran into the same issue with my 368. I always thought it was a Y-Block issue but it must be unique to the LYB'S. That plug goes into the oil galley. When I had the motor for my Convertible rebuilt the mechanic replaced it with a pipe plug. I snapped two drive gears before I discovered the issue. That plug uses an Allen wrench to tighten it up. On the back of the block there will be a small soft plug that lines up with it. Pull the plug, screw it in a little further, and replace the plug. In my case I already had the motor and transmission in the car. I had to remove both and unbolt the tranny to get to it. I went to Ace hardware and they had what I needed. I even ground down the head to give myself more clearance. When I called my mechanic he knew exactly what plug I was talking about. He was wondering why it had such an odd plug. Fortunately I have a local parts shop who had the gears in stock..
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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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"For want of a nail..."
B-rad, aren't you glad you know now?
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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It's good to know it's an Allen wrench head. I didn't really want to remove that plug cuz I didn't want to damage it and not sure how to reseal it. It has some gray goop sealing it.
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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So I tried tightening the plug to get the clearance needed to drop the distributor in but it was tight. My mechanic said to grind down the back of it and screw it in. I did that but it still is sticking out too far hitting the dist gear. Is this supposed to be flush with the block because it won't go in far enough. It's just a quarter inch deep now and screws in just like two full turns. It has a star pattern hole thru it so it seems to be the right one for the engine bit it's in the way. If anyone knows what's up with this, correct part number, size, distance sticking out, etc please let me know. Thanks
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By 55blacktie - 2 Years Ago
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Remove the plug. Insert a wire, small screwdriver, etc, into the hole to measure the distance before making contact. Compare the distance to the length of the set screw. I have to conclude that either the set screw is too long (not the original, the threads inside the block have been crossed/damaged, or the size/pitch of the set screw is incorrect. If it's an oil galley plug, there shouldn't be an obstruction that's preventing the set screw from fully seating. If it's the correct set screw, it should not have been necessary to grind the head to make it fit.
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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It sounded from my mechanic that it might not have been the original. He said if it won't go in further to grind it or he has shorter ones. When I tried to run the tap thru the hole, it hit the lifter before it was able to clean out many threads. Probably three threads at most. When I look thru the access hole in the block, I saw what looks like a bright metal ring in the plug hole. I don't know what it is. Maybe something to stop the plug before it goes in too far and impacts the lifter. I'd like to know what the original should be like. I may have to get a tap with less taper to it so I can clean out more threads unless I find out what the plug should be and shows me that's not necessary.
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By FORD DEARBORN - 2 Years Ago
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Read mjs reply again. He found a plug at his local hardware store he was able and solved the issue with. Might need to look around for the right plug like some auto part stores have a good supply of these type fittings or a plumbing supply etc.. One thing not to do is get metal debris in the oil galley or anywhere else. If your mechanic has shorter ones then that may solve the problem...........
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By Ted - 2 Years Ago
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That threaded hole is expected to be ¼” NPT which is a tapered thread. The ¼” NPT plugs are available in different lengths but the common length found at a hardware store may be too long. The shortest ¼” NPT plug I keep in stock is about 0.325” long and is a Pioneer brand with part #PP-584-25 on the box. I use that particular plug on the Ford FE blocks where the front of the driver’s side lifter oil galley behind the distributor is tapped for a screw in plug rather than using a push in expansion plug.
Be extremely cautious in trying to retap the existing hole in the block with the engine assembled and under no circumstances try to do anything with the lifter in the hole. Metal shavings at this point are not your friend. If modifying the plug, you will be shortening it on the wrench end and not the end that fits into the block first. If modifying the end that goes into the block first, the plug will still be sitting outside of the hole at the same height.
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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Thanks everyone. I'll be checking out the stores around town. They have to have a hole in them, will those be readily available or something special?
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By Ted - 2 Years Ago
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The overall oil pressure will be better with fewer places for the oil to escape so normally I’m going to say forfeit having the hole in the lifter oil galley plug. Some engines have that to help bleed the air from the system. I have found FE engines both ways on that purpose built ‘air bleed’.
Because that particular galley plug on your engine is at the distributor gear, then a small 0.030” hole would be sufficient for providing some additional oil to the gear if desired. If you want the hole, you’ll more than likely have to put the hole in the plug yourself as most NPT plugs you purchase will be solid in design without a particular sized hole running through them.
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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Thx for the info Ted. I thought that hole was the primary way the gear got lubricated, not air bleeding. With the star pattern, I figured it was engineered specifically for some purpose.
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By FORD DEARBORN - 2 Years Ago
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Don't feel alone Brad, I too had no idea of an air bleed being hidden in an oil galley plug. It's amazing what can be learned on this site.................
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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Well, I ground the head down and now the distributor slid right in. I had the #1 piston at tdc and lined the rotor up with the number one on the cap. Gonna make sure the vac adv is facing the carb.
What direction do I go when putting the wires on?
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By paul2748 - 2 Years Ago
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Go firing order, clockwise starting with # 1 (assuming Lincolns turn the same way as a Ford)
uote]B-rad (4/13/2023)
Well, I ground the head down and now the distributor slid right in. I had the #1 piston at tdc and lined the rotor up with the number one on the cap. Gonna make sure the vac adv is facing the carb. What direction do I go when putting the wires on?
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By FORD DEARBORN - 2 Years Ago
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Looking at the top of the distributor cap it's counterclockwise starting with #1 and follow the firing order. To my knowledge all Ford V8's are CCW.
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By B-rad - 2 Years Ago
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Well that's one cw and one ccw. Tie breaker anyone?
Plus the intermediate shaft is a little bit too long, it's not a problem cutting a half inch off the bottom is it?
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By Hoosier Hurricane - 2 Years Ago
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CCW is the direction for Y-Blocks, and since Lincoln and Y Block distributors interchange with a gear change, Lincoln also have to rotate CCW.
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