Stuck Distributor

1989 golf gti cabrio
Had my timing belt and tensioner changed today. My distributor is stuck solid and the timing is out. I have read other threads of the same name suggesting coke or lemon juice . It didn't work for me. The garage guys could not shift it. Or by the look of it the previous owners mechanics. the garage has suggested to buy another one incase it breaks when they give it a proper whallopp! Does this happen where it breaks being taken out??

It can.

But, Spray the Base Plate with PB-Blaster.
Remove the lock fingers and bolt. LET IT WORK…..
Overnight or for a couple of hours.

With a long Punch (I used a Long Flat Bladed Screw driver of bigness.) It was a number 6 blade about 2foot long

Place the Screw driver or punch against the base of the Diz and the Block,,,, You want to Smack it at the base parallel to the block to the left or right which ever way you have room.

The issue is: There is a o-ring below the base of the Diz that because of heat and age glues it self to both the Diz, and the block….

Smacking it at the base a few times should get it to unglue itself as long as you let the PB-Blaster Work.
(you just need to break it free, not smash it)  You are going to tap-tap TAP TAPP the thing not beat it to death with one stroke or try to cleave it in twain.


A small micro Butane torch around the base may soften the o-ring to allow you to move it a little….

I tried using a strap wrench and my really large vice-grips but they couldn't get a perch.

Just take your time and be careful…..

I think IIRC I only used my 4oz Ball-Peen hammer a few good smacks, but then after 40 years of working on Computers and other mechanical garbage, my itty-bitty hammer can do some damage.




When you are going back, clean the inside of the diz (use a rag in the hole to prevent contamination from falling in the thing) and the base of the Diz with sandy type paper, then be sure that you coat the o-ring with never-seize, and you won't be having that issue no mo'.

Can Imagine coke or lemon juice would help, use the proper stuff to free up rusty, seized items… keep spraying it on for a few days.

https://www.eurocarparts.com/ecp/p/car-accessories/car-maintenance-accessories/maintenance-fluids-and-greases/penetrating-fluids/?549774741&0&cc5_857

Mole grips on the dissy shaft and wiggle left and right to help free it up.

Having considered your replies and having done your suggestions I have decided to buy a new one from ignition car parts. He just can't shift it. Afraid it will break and then not have a distributor. Thank you both for your replies.

think I had to use a crowbar to get mine out, it was seized anyway but it wouldn't turn even with lots of leverage and impact, this was when the engine was out of the car. if you can get it on a ramp you might be able to punch it up out the block with a bar from underneath

Did the car run alright before the cam belt was changed?

Changing the cam belt should not affect the timing of the dissy unless you put the new cambelt a tooth out or perhaps last time it was changed it was a tooth out, maybe worth double check the timing marks….

Yes that dissy looks rather stuck in there, the hammering has properly got it even more stuck as the edges of the dissy have been hammered flat and I expect that will not help, you may need to make some sort of slid hammer to fit underneath the dissy head and hammer it up or as sporttrucker said remove sump and oil pump and with some sort of bar hammer it out from underneath.
I think you will need to find a replacement dissy….

The timing was out when I got it…I'll get him to check the timing marks.
Thank you.

punching it straight down isn't how you get it to move, your punch should of been at an angle (I did say parallel) to the block so you are impacting it left or right.

Doesn't matter if changing the cam or not, there was no way to spin the diz to time the car regardless of the cam change or not.  

In my case a few good hits with my Big Flat Blade on the edges got it loose, but then I did soak it in PB-Blaster and CRC freeze-off (which works really good as it has either Butane or Freon as the propellant and that rapidly shrinks the metal and allows the penetrant to creep in there.  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0BaowQvL6c

I wasn't there when they tried to shift it. It was well beaten by previous owners by the look of it before my guys went at it. But they were afraid of it breaking and leaving me without the car for a time. New one arriving Wednesday. I hope they get it out.