how do i stab my distributor on my 1981 f150 Ford Truck

Put it back in where it was, like it was. since you work on them you at least know that. We cannot reply without at least the basic info, what is it? is it disturbed? can you static time it? did the pump drive come out? can you find the 1 cyl? Is it a ford part ? why arent there directions in the service manual and/or the part box ? It is easier to show it to someone, and tell everything you did to it. guesses are included here.

Bring #1 cylinder up to TDC on the compression stroke, install the distributor with the rotor pointing at #1 on the cap when seated. You have to put the rotor a little bit counter clock wise when dropping the distributor as it will rotate clock-wise as you seat it. If the distributor will not seat, you need to take a big long screwdriver or similar tool to go down inside the distributor hole and line up the oil pump shaft so it will engage in the bottom of the distributor. It may take a few tries to do this.

Excuse the fluck outta me, but we do not have the engine identified, a ford distributor rotates backwards,most often, and the pump drive is not a flatblade, persay, but is driven by a special tool from a set that an engine builder uses when priming the engine. Now, again, please identify what you are working on and tell about it, so we can verify correct information, and not cause you engine damage, confusion, or wasted time.....THANK YOU. sheesh.

In 1981 there is still a distributor, even if the shaft rotates opposite of what I described, the principal is the same for installation.

If you read the question, the guy wants to know how to put his distributor back in. And what-ever tool is used to rotate the oil pump shaft, you still need to do so if the distributor dose not seat.

Which engine do you think he has ? why not let him give us the correct information ? then it simplifies answering him, he would already know what you are telling him, but his second question is about priming his oil pump (separate request on a second entry) Now, when removing the distributor from some Ford engines, the pump drive can be dislodged and end up in the pan, and that is also a set of engines where it can stay stuck in the old distributor and come out. he needs to tell what he has, what he did to it, why, and what happened or you are wasting his time and yours with erroneous info confusing the issue, and can result in engine damage. we dont know if he rebuilt it, did a partial, did the bottom or top or what. since 2 questions were asked, we need to get his eyeballs pointing together at one thing, as well as ours. Then see what his initial results were, where he is really at with it, and ask him to get a real pair of educated eyes on it. I saw months of the same job done by students in lab, and some of them broke it, some twisted the pump drive, and some dropped it in. which should we be responsible for advising? answer: none of the above.

The distributor gear often is on the other side of the cam, the right gear has to be in use, the body of the distributor often has only one correct orientation on Ford engines, which one is in the truck today? it is over 30 years old. my crystal ball is kinda cloudy today how about yours? do you want him MFing you and me? or do you want him to thank us for asking for the rest of his info? and suggesting he get a service manual free at his local public library ? Motors, Chilton, Mitchell and computer databases are all there to see, make photocopies, borrow? perhaps? It is a sign of intelligence to read the directions and follow them, is it not?

Advice from experience that excludes info about the pitfalls is setting the guy up for failure, we never did that at FORD, we would go out and look? ask him to bring it in? or even go to the truck and look for ourselves. we always found the person had little experience, thought he could do it, and needed educated hands on help from a technician. Often, we would fix it and tell him to take that aftermarket whatever back for a refund. Motorcraft distributor parts can last the rest of the vehicles life and, done properly, can remove any lifelong complaint he may have had. He would just be advised what part numbers to ask for, and we would correct it. we loved our customers, and they kept their trucks and handed them down to their children. One tech I know is 87 and would still help you correct one today. If hew thought you needed his help. he would goto where the truck was on his own time, and verify you were not confused. Sorry about the reality, but I think it's worth it.

All good points, could have (and you did now) advise him on these critical factors, Appreciate you pointing the how to on this one, I am not a teacher...just a problem solver. 30 years cloudy maybe, I did forget about that fiber connector between the shaft and oil pump, this is the hairy part in removal and installation of this distributor.

I have seen engines run with a bent pumpdrive, or pretzeled it, or just no oil pressure because it lifted and dropped. Dont know what fiber connector you mean though. And sto;; gont have his engine displacement, year, or distributor type. I went through thisdiscussion once before on here, turned out on that question, the guy had ignition diagnosis trouble with the resistor wire, he was going around the problem and spending hundreds of unnecessary dollars and changing to an aftermarket hybrid. all he needed was a duraspark box and a length of wire and perhaps preventative updates. to increase longevity.

Excuse me,(still do not have) his engine MMY of origin. Serving apprenticeship after tech schools is where Ford techs learn what teachers may never find out without experience. Then, you have to know what the parts guys are going to run into if you want to fix something the same week. Quite often, you have to provide info you find by doing, or have written in a book, or your journeymen and master tech have found. Then you all have to do things the same in case the other guy leaves it apart waiting.

We learned a ton from a tech from another dealer, the destruction of union contract bargaining had brought him to us, thanks Ronald Regan. Destroying the benefits and collective wage bargaining was a short term help in information for us young guys. Then, after they milked him, they used him for toilet paper. bastards, they are out of business now at that franchise, hahaha couldn't have happened to a nicer bunch. They only hurt the ones they loved.....themselves.

But the knowledge and talents of those men lives on at other places, and the expert tootledge helps Ford and its customers, still. in small ways. since now they hire people at reduced wages for teams instead of other ways they could appreciate Value in People.