i have a 77 thunderbird that the disributor and cap is frozen. im afraid that ill break my cam shaft any suggestions on getting it unfrozen without breaking the cam shaft?

If the cap is frozen and will not come off, you can tap it with a hammer and break it. Then take it off in pieces. You probably needed to replace it anyway, so no loss. As for the removal of the distributor; make sure you have the clamp off and get a puller to tap it out with. This should not break the cam and you can clean the distributor up when it is out.

oldtimer37 is spot-on. BUT If you mean the distributor is frozen, rotor will not spin, in the 351W and 302 the distributor is driven by the oil pump. If oil pump is seized distributor will be too. Old-fashion mechanical way of protecting engine with loss of oil pressure, engine won't run if oil pump shaft breaks or splines strip Now if I have this wrong and you mean cap is just stuck on, oldtimer37 has the best answer.

http://www.mre-books.com/interchange/interchange4.html

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Getting off-topic but T-Birds went to Foxbody in 1980. IMO this '88 was the best-looking 'Bird built, before or after.

But Ford screwed up with it, such a sharp car but actually used the engine from the Pinto and slapped on a turbo, but it did put out 175HP. The other option was the 302.

Hi Jim. I have a 390 in my '76. I also had another truck, a '78 F350/351W. And on both -- that shaft from from oil pump is steel. It looks like the same material as pushrods... same piece of material and is far too heavy to be aluminum..