Putting the metering piston back into the Fuel Distributor

[bfloyd]

I've had the metering piston / plunger for the fuel distributor out of the unit since January. When I removed it, I cleaned it and the cylinder it came out of with the tip of a shop towel soaked in Berryman's B12. At that time I was able to put the piston back into the fuel distributor and it would slide easily back and forth under its own weight. The piston has been wrapped up in 2-3 shop towels and stored in a zip-lock freezer bag since January so it wouldn't get damaged or scratched.

This week is the week I'm finally putting the fuel system back in the car and now I can't seem to get the piston to go back into the cylinder. Could it be a temperature related thing? It was 20 degrees in the garage when I first worked on it in January, and now it's 85 degrees in there. There are no scratches on it, hasn't been dropped, and the cylinder is as clean as it can be.

Should I try something like Marvel Mystery Oil? Plain old gasoline? At a loss here.....

[DMCMW Dave]

I've had the metering piston / plunger for the fuel distributor out of the unit since January. When I removed it, I cleaned it and the cylinder it came out of with the tip of a shop towel soaked in Berryman's B12. At that time I was able to put the piston back into the fuel distributor and it would slide easily back and forth under its own weight. The piston has been wrapped up in 2-3 shop towels and stored in a zip-lock freezer bag since January so it wouldn't get damaged or scratched.

This week is the week I'm finally putting the fuel system back in the car and now I can't seem to get the piston to go back into the cylinder. Could it be a temperature related thing? It was 20 degrees in the garage when I first worked on it in January, and now it's 85 degrees in there. There are no scratches on it, hasn't been dropped, and the cylinder is as clean as it can be.

Should I try something like Marvel Mystery Oil? Plain old gasoline? At a loss here.....

Just make sure everything it the same temperature. You could try freezing the plunger to get it to go in, BUT if it tightens back up the car is not going to run correctly. The only time I've ever seen one not fit back in there is when it got dropped on the floor.

It is normally immersed in and lubed by gasoline.

[bfloyd]

I got it... Used a little Marvel Mystery Oil and gasoline together. Just wiped it on and slowly slid it in place. Almost didn't want to go all the way in, but I grabbed a hold of the tip with a pair of pliers and helped it it the rest of the way. Slides and glides like butter now.