Distributor problems??

BrandonW730 · 12-22-2008, 12:30 AM

i have an 87 N/A supra that had a blown head gasket and a warped head. After taking it apart i ordered a refurbished head for it for a 7mge supra, arp bolts, and a new gasket. when i got the head is said 7mgte on it so i figured they are the same head. anyway i assembled most of the engine, but now i am stuck on the distributor/cps. The tsrm said there was a mark on the drivin gear but mine has a drilled hole that i assume is supposed to line up with the mark on the housing, is this correct?? I can get the cps in up to the oring but it wont go in any further, i tried to force it in by tightening the holding bolt but after doing this i heard a loud snap and now the drivin gear has a lot of friction when its turning, so i think i need a new distributor. Is the distributor not goin in because it is not compatible with the head? or is it because it is a new head and needs to be worked in?

Bill UK · 12-22-2008, 08:48 PM

As far as I know there is no difference between the CPS and a Distributor shaft. By using the adjusting bolt to push the distributor in, you prevented the shaft rotating slightly when engaging the camshaft gear. The shaft and hole are an interference fit (tight fit) that’s why Toyota machined flutes in the shaft to reduce the contact area with the hole. The flutes I'm referring to are just in front of the O ring, not the gear at the end. Does your shaft look the same as the photo below ? The red arrow indicates where you should align the shaft.

BrandonW730 · 12-26-2008, 03:43 AM

no mine does not have the flutes in it, and after the gear there is a smaller shaft that goes into the head further. the gear did have play in it yet it still would not go in. I believe that the extended shaft was coming in contact with something preventing it from going in.

Bill UK · 12-27-2008, 01:04 PM

Just looked at the Cygnus Tsrm and yes they are different. This still doesn’t explain why your distributor doesn’t go in the 7M GTE head. It appears using a GTE head on a 7M GE block has been done before Link But the other way round without any issues with the CPS or distributor.

12-22-2008, 12:30 AM	#1
BrandonW730 Stock Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tunkhannock, PA Posts: 22	Distributor problems?? i have an 87 N/A supra that had a blown head gasket and a warped head. After taking it apart i ordered a refurbished head for it for a 7mge supra, arp bolts, and a new gasket. when i got the head is said 7mgte on it so i figured they are the same head. anyway i assembled most of the engine, but now i am stuck on the distributor/cps. The tsrm said there was a mark on the drivin gear but mine has a drilled hole that i assume is supposed to line up with the mark on the housing, is this correct?? I can get the cps in up to the oring but it wont go in any further, i tried to force it in by tightening the holding bolt but after doing this i heard a loud snap and now the drivin gear has a lot of friction when its turning, so i think i need a new distributor. Is the distributor not goin in because it is not compatible with the head? or is it because it is a new head and needs to be worked in? __________________ 1987 Mk3 Supra N/A

12-26-2008, 03:43 AM	#3
BrandonW730 Stock Join Date: Aug 2008 Location: Tunkhannock, PA Posts: 22	no mine does not have the flutes in it, and after the gear there is a smaller shaft that goes into the head further. the gear did have play in it yet it still would not go in. I believe that the extended shaft was coming in contact with something preventing it from going in. __________________ 1987 Mk3 Supra N/A

12-22-2008, 08:48 PM	#2
Bill UK AEM EMS Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Posts: 891	As far as I know there is no difference between the CPS and a Distributor shaft. By using the adjusting bolt to push the distributor in, you prevented the shaft rotating slightly when engaging the camshaft gear. The shaft and hole are an interference fit (tight fit) that’s why Toyota machined flutes in the shaft to reduce the contact area with the hole. The flutes I'm referring to are just in front of the O ring, not the gear at the end. Does your shaft look the same as the photo below ? The red arrow indicates where you should align the shaft.

12-27-2008, 01:04 PM	#4
Bill UK AEM EMS Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: UK Posts: 891	Just looked at the Cygnus Tsrm and yes they are different. This still doesn’t explain why your distributor doesn’t go in the 7M GTE head. It appears using a GTE head on a 7M GE block has been done before Link But the other way round without any issues with the CPS or distributor.