Distributor Wrench Alternative

[tpripps]

I want to pull my distributor to prime my oil before I start my truck for the for the first time in 28 years. I couldn't get any conventional wrenches on the distributor bolt so I went to AutoZone and got a distributor wrench. I drenched it in PB but it was so seized that I put a full twist in the wrench while trying to remove it. I guess I assume it's not left hand thread... I also got a 9/16" swivel head ratcheting box end but that didn't have the clearance to fit on the bolt. Are there any other ideas for removing that bolt? Do I have to suck it up and buy a Snap On wrench? Fab my own?

 

[AyWoSch Motors]

What I did was take my oldest most beat up 9/16, put it in a vise, and smashed it with a hammer until it had a nice hook bend on the end.
Works perfect everytime, didn't cost a penny.

 

[PrairieDrifter]

You could try a crows foot. I've always done it with a regular wrench until I got some of these longer flex head ratchet wrenches, but they aren't necessary

 

[Vbb199]

Cuss and swear with a regular open end wrench, or a crows foot works lol

 

[75gmck25]

I have one of the cheap distributor wrenches and the problem I see with it is that its a 12 point opening and its not machined very cleanly/closely. It doesn't get a good bite on the bolt head, so its hard to get the torque you need. I would look for a better quality wrench, preferably a six point opening if you want to apply more torque. The six point will be harder to get positioned, but will fit tighter and have better contact with the bolt head than a 12 point.

 

[tpripps]

anybody know if I can get it with a plain offset box end? I'd be nice if I could find one that was a 6-point like 75gmck25 said above. I'm not sure they exist unless I make one myself

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[HookChain]

I took a thin kerf wrench, threw some heat to it and bent it to the shape I needed

 

[AuroraGirl]

I have one of the cheap distributor wrenches and the problem I see with it is that its a 12 point opening and its not machined very cleanly/closely. It doesn't get a good bite on the bolt head, so its hard to get the torque you need. I would look for a better quality wrench, preferably a six point opening if you want to apply more torque. The six point will be harder to get positioned, but will fit tighter and have better contact with the bolt head than a 12 point.

if someone finds the thread size.. could one... get a standard sized 12 point bolt? Just a thought. Not a thing to stay awake at night for but Im thinking myself, if I were to have it in and out anytime soon I would prob want that because I can barely reach that far back. If its both easy to position and has a lot of contact area then it would be nice but I dont know ify ou can get those like that.
My distributor wrench(s) are mostly 6 point, one is a.. mostly flare wrench , doesnt complete a circle but its... got like 5 sides and mostly surrounds, and its heated and bent to work.

 

[consti2tion]

Although I'm sure you have solved your problem by now, it's funny I run across this thread, my brother actually gave me his home made distributor wrench this past weekend. He handed it to me and said " You're gonna need this more than I will now " since I just bought my suburban and he doesn't own any GM stuff anymore. I'll post up a picture later today. It's a shame it was made from a Par-X Combo wrench ( Snap On's lower line back in the 60's )

 

[tpripps]

Although I'm sure you have solved your problem by now, it's funny I run across this thread, my brother actually gave me his home made distributor wrench this past weekend. He handed it to me and said " You're gonna need this more than I will now " since I just bought my suburban and he doesn't own any GM stuff anymore. I'll post up a picture later today. It's a shame it was made from a Par-X Combo wrench ( Snap On's lower line back in the 60's )

Actually, I never did figure it out. I tried all of the wrenches I had and nothing worked. After I got it all buttoned up I remembered I had one of these combination "socket" wrenches and was curious if it would do the trick.

 

[Goldie Driver]

Seems like on the 91 a 14mm ( not positive on that ) quarter inch drive socket and a low profile quarter ratchet is what we used. That damn socket would get stuck on the bolt pretty easily, though.

There are a pair of hard lines right in the way for the wrench, and you have to fit the socket and ratchet below the bottom of the distributor cap - a bit tricky.

Goldie is soooooooooooooo much easier to adjust timing on - the distributor wrench works like it should!

 

[AuroraGirl]

Actually, I never did figure it out. I tried all of the wrenches I had and nothing worked. After I got it all buttoned up I remembered I had one of these combination "socket" wrenches and was curious if it would do the trick.

did it? also just saying I stood on a ladder in a 90+ humid shed with no fan in the world enough to not profuesely sweat and i craned over with just one arm to reach the bolt on the hold down and this truck sits high and im not tall I got the bolt iwth a swivel ratcheting box end wrench. broke it free with the jaws(THANKFULLY IT WORKED FOR THAT) then the rest was little by little ratcheting and i got it. I did not install it very tight and will have to tighten more if i ever get roading with it. but it needs to be timed before I tighten it lol so it will stay mostly tight till I can get to that