still cannot get distributor installed correctly

putting #1 on tdc, timing mark at zero while feeling #1 spark plug hole for compression.

as per helms manual, installing distributor with rotor between #1 and #8 spark plug on cap, BUT, since the cap can turn approximately 60 degrees, that's A LOT of room for error.

looking at the car from front to rear, with the rear of the car being 12:00 and the front being 6:00, where should the rotor point? there are 14 slots on the distributor gear, so moving the distributor one tooth would be equal to about45-50 minutes on the clock.

the car runs with the rotor pointing at 6:00 when the engine is at tdc, but poorly.

the wires are in the correct firing order, it idles smmothly when it stats, so it would seem to be firing on all cylinders. it's a rebuilt distributor with a new module. i can't think of anything else it could be.

 

i thought you were supposed to install it with the rotor pointing at #1 cylinder. is that not correct?

 

What you need to do is go a bit further than where you're at...i/e...once you fell compression out of the #1 hole...you need to keep rotating the engine until no compression comes out anymore..then (assuming the balancer has not slipped) look down at the timing tab and continiue to rotate the engine until the mark on the balancer is at "0" on the tab.

#1 will then be at TDC.

Now install the dis...you'll have to spin it a bit, then let it slide in...does it point to the right of #1? If so, you're good to go..keep in mind that it needs to seat all the way down, if it's stting up, means you need to rotate (long flat head screwdriver) the oilpump drive.

If you turn the dis on end, you'll see what needs to engage the oilpump drive.

Until yo've done it a few times, it'll be frustratiing, but once you get the knack for it, youl'll be okay.

Main thing is to make sure you get the distributor seated to the oil pump drive, if no, oil won't flow, and instead of pulling the dizzy, you'll be pulling the engine

Good thing about the ECM controlled timing is you can be off quite a bit, and still get it started with the EST bypass plugged in.

 

mike,

i'm comfortable that the piston is in the correct position. turned the engine turn till i felt no compression, timing mark on 0. we even pulled the valve cover and rotated the engine through two full revolutions to be sure we were at tdc.

i'm also fine with getting the oil pump shaft lined up properly. it's a bitch, but i use a long screwdriver and get it.

the problem is, i'm still not sure where to point the rotor. the helms manual says point it between the #1 and #8 spark plug leads on the cap. did a search on here about installing a distributor and saw that same advice over and over again. it makes no sense to me.

maybe i'm missing something, because i look at it and see that the distributor cap attaches to the distributor body and rotates independently of the rotor, which is attached to the shaft. the point between the #1 and #8 leads on the cap could be anywhere within a 60+ degree arc. the gear at the end of the distributor shaft has 13 teeth, so there are 14 potential positions for the distributor to be installed in. only one of those 14 positions is the correct one.

assuming the cam is installed properly (it is), if the #1 piston is at tdc and the timing mark on the harmonic balancer is at 0, that rotor can only be pointed in one direction.

they even have a tech piece with illustrations in this month's hot rod about installing a distributor. it said to take a screwdriver and point the oil pump shaft at the intake pushrod on #5 cylinder. tried that before i quit for the night. started and ran, but rough! going to try to advance it one tooth tomorrow. hope it works.

 

Well, the way I do it is a bit diff. To get my TDC I use a psiston stop and mark the balancer accordingly. Once that's done, I have an old cap which I cut out a window at #1 so I can see the post inside. When my distributor is in, I like to see the rotor just at the beg. of the post, so they are corner to corner. This usually get me close enough that I don't have to move the dist. around too much after fire-up.
But that's just me.

 

Installing a distributor is not as hard as you people are making it out to be. Simply point the rotor at the #1 cylinder WITH THE CAP OFF when the engine is at top dead center. Slide it down while making sure the rotor stays pointed at the #1 cylinder and make sure it goes all the way down. From there on put the cap back on and you can adjust it with a timing gun, but it is really not hard at all.

 

seanof30306, do you have something against timing guns?
it sounds like you are trying to think your way around one.
it won't work.

 

have had the gun on it constantly. have had it at 0, 2, 4, 6 and 8 degrees initial timing. still runs like crap. it's not 180 out. won't even run when it's in that position.

 

If you set the timing correctly and it still ran bad you have another problem why it's running like crap. Regarless of what tooth you are on or any other factors, if the timing gun says it's timed right it doesn't make a difference. I would look into another problem.