Magneto length issue

[buickfed]

I bought a used vertex mag that was made for a 455 buick. the owner worked for vertex. the 350 and 455 dist are the same, just different gears. went to install it and found it doesn't go all the way down. sticks up at least 3/16". I have plenty of dist's to check and the vertex is off. any ideas on how to fix it?
thanks
john

[Spud Miller]

 Hi John,

 Does the oil pump run off the mag on the Buick? Pretty sure it does, but I don't remember. If it does, check to be sure it's really going down all the way and if there's a pump tang, that the radius of the cut on the tang isn't holding it up.

 Next thing to do would be to pack the gear teeth with grease and insert the mag as far down as it will go. Pull it out and see where the cam is engaging with the mag. Should be about in the middle. If it's low, I'd suspect the oil pump issue...if it's in the middle or high, maybe the shoulder was machined in the wrong location.

 Check the length against one of your others. Maybe it's just the shoulder. If so, we can machine that off and put a slip collar on it for you. Just have to make sure the oil gallery grooves and what not are going to work or damage to other things could result.

 Spud

[buickfed]

yes, the oil pump and dist are together. been a buick guy since I was a kid so I have a collection of parts. I measured numerous dist's and they are all the same except the vertex. the dim from the locating base to the gear is longer than all the other dist's. if anything, I would have to add a spacer under the base and make another o-ring groove and possibly machine the tangs. I have a bunch of timing covers. I might cut one up so I can see the inter action of both parts.
nothing easy with this 4-71 project.

[buickfed]

I tried the mag in an old t/c. went right down. went back to the engine, got it align and a little tap and went down. I hate getting zapped every time I move the dist. 

[dreracecar]

Put a jumper on the post and you wont get bit

[buickfed]

now you tell me.....

[dreracecar]

Whats the fun in that