Chevy 283 w Mallory distributor question.

[tycooper]

OK, kind of a silly question but I am a little bit stumped. I have an old chevy marine engine that is a 283. I think it is either a Chris Craft or old OMC, not sure. Anyhow, it has a Mallory YD distributor in it that I cannot figure out how it comes out. It does not have a distributor hold down bracket that I have seen on just about every distributor I have ever removed. Its just stuck to the top of intake.... mocking me.... Anyhow, does anyone know how this comes out?

 

[Scott Danforth]

if it doesnt have the hold down clamp, then its just crud and corrosion holding it down.

 

[Bondo]

OK, kind of a silly question but I am a little bit stumped. I have an old chevy marine engine that is a 283. I think it is either a Chris Craft or old OMC, not sure. Anyhow, it has a Mallory YD distributor in it that I cannot figure out how it comes out. It does not have a distributor hold down bracket that I have seen on just about every distributor I have ever removed. Its just stuck to the top of intake.... mocking me.... Anyhow, does anyone know how this comes out?

Ayuh,..... Welcome Aboard,...... A picture might help, as ChrisCraft did some pretty weird things with Sbcs over the years,.....
If it's an OMC, it'll be a pretty standard Sbc,....

If there's a threaded hole for the hold down clamp next to it, I'm with Scott, it's just corroded / rusted in place,.....

 

[dubs283]

ChrisCraft did some pretty weird things with Sbcs over the years,.....

Yep.

Like, oh running the transmission off the timing end of the crank. Looking at fhe flywheel rotating to check/set timing

Let's see some pictures

 

[kenny nunez]

Chris Craft ran the transmission off the front of the engine so that in a twin engine set up both engines stayed at standard rotation.
It may be necessary to pull the manifold with the distributor in it. Breaking it off at the manifold would not be good
Maybe some heat at the base of the distributor might help to break it loose.

 

[Scott Danforth]

50%ATF/50%Acetone. Best penetrating oil ever

 

[dubs283]

Chris Craft ran the transmission off the front of the engine so that in a twin engine set up both engines stayed at standard rotation.

This may be true, I've never heard that to be the reason though

What I've been told by more than one source is on some boat models chris craft wanted to have the aft cockpit deck one level, i.e. no motor boxes above the level of the deck. They achieved this by lowering the overall profile of the engine/transmission package by running the transmission off the timing end. Because the diameter of the flywheel is larger than the timing gear and given the angle required to set the engine properly the package is able to mount lower/closer to the hull allowing overall design/profile of the boat including freeboard and draft to remain "shorter". Chris craft at the time was all about look, design and creativity. They were willing to spend money on engineering specific design to attain/keep their niche as an advanced/high quality marine vessel manufacturer

 

[kenny nunez]

That makes sense. Makes the boat nicer. Typical boat builder, “lets see how hard we can make the engines serviceable”!

 

[Scott Danforth]

If I was a designer back in the day at Chris Craft, I would have developed an 8" diameter flywheel, migrated the starter to the top of the flywheel housing and switched the motor to a front sump and coupled the gear box directly via s splined shaft.