[Chicagowil]

I ad a similar problem with my distributor not dropping down into the engagement and seating all the way down. It tried measuring everything thinking the there was a problem with the shaft dia being somehow too large since I was swapping out to a carb from a EFI dist. Turns out, all I had to do was disconnect the coil, and crank (tapping the key slowly) and the dist dropped right down!

As far as the bolt being snapped, Have not seen that. Tend to believe RET COP might be right about it having been over tightened and it finally fell off the motor onto the floor during a recent startup