I did a search for my question, and found no answer.

Can I remove the distributor with the engine still in the car, or does it need to removed with the engine out (I know there's little to no clearance)?

 

I removed mine with the engine in the car while replacing the head gaskets. My car is an 87.

 

Just take off the cap and wires first and there should be plenty of room. A distributor wrench helps

 

Thanks. I want to replace my intake manifold, and want to make sure I won't mess around.

 

 

Well this has nothing to do with removing my distributor but I think its a distributor issue...I just reset my timing atleast I believe I did...anytime you see something wrong please point me in the right direction cause this issue is aggrevating me to a nervous a breakdown...but anyway I got my #1 cylinder to TDC I pulled all my plugs wires, took off the dizzy cap and placed it back marking to the number 1 plug, I thin hooked 1,8,4,3 so on n forth turned over the engine and I can't get no kind of hesitation to start or nuthing, well I do get a backfire while trying to start the car but that's it...did I miss anything or do anything wrong??? Help is needed immediately THANKS

 

when you drop the dizzy back in where is the rotor pointing.

 

You couldn't even get the engine out without removing the distributor first anyway.

 

That's the thing I didn't pull it out cause I read u can leave it where it sits just as long as the number one plug at tdc gets the 1st spark...I've heard people say it hass to be at the 630 position for a regular dizzy and for a HEI 530...but I don't know which one I have neither I looked up the part no. On my coil and it says IG-3101E

 

That's where the factory put them, but you can put it anywhere if you put the wires on to match.

 

Get a timing light. You have a car with a distributor, just get one.
Get a distributor wrench - you have a car with a distributor - get one.

If you need to pull out the dizzy, first check your timing with the timing light get a ballpark of where it's at for future reference. If you know where it's suppseod to be then great you can just note that in your head.

Find the number 1 plug boot on the distributor. Mark where it's pointing on the intake/valvecovers, wherever. Pull the cap off the distributor, and this time you make another mark, anywhere that wont move with chalk, tape, sharpie, pink fingernail polish, whatever, to where the rotor is pointing. Then remove. Do whatever you need to do and do NOT turn over the engine at all for any reason while doing your work. When you get done put it back in and point the rotor in it's old location, put the cap back on with its number 1 plug terminal in roughly the location it was in before. Then it should be close enough for you to fire it up and get your timing light out and reset the timing to where it was before. Close enough to crank is what you need. Even if you forget the mark the distributor cap, it should go back on relatively close to where it was, close enough to get it to crank, but if you mark where the #1 on the cap is pointing, and where the rotor is pointing and put both of them right back where they were you shouldn't even have to reset the timing in theory.


You're gonna blow their minds with that voodoo!

I had a "friend" that on no less than 3 separate occasions between 6-9 months apart called me over to help him get his car running when he did a cap/rotor replacement because he freaked out when he saw the rotor was not pointing at number 1 when he pulled the rotor off. So he'd take it out and point it at number 1 and call me when the car didnt run.

He had probably a half dozen cars in that time, and every one of them was an old POS slow camaro or truck that had a 70s engine in it, regardless of year model, and he kept thinking caps and rotors would give him all that horsepower he thought he was missing.

 

Lmao! Great story but that's didn't help my story at all one bit...well what was wrong with his dizzy??

 

Nothing at all was wrong with it.

 

Well let me ask you this....if I'm top dead center on the exhaust stroke will it stop the car from starting? That's one thing I'm kind of iffy about being I couldn't really feel the air come out the #1 plug hole when I turned the engine over by hand...

 

If the engine is at TDC on the exhaust stroke when the plug fires then nothing much useful will happen.

 

S*** startin to be a pain in my @$$

 

To find TDC on number one you can either turn the motor over manually and watch the rocker arms or put your finger over the spark plug hole for number and have someone bump the starter for you. It's at number 1 when it whistles/blows your finger off the hole. That's close to #1 TDC. Not exact, but it gets you in the ball park close enough to point the rotor at number 1 and get the car started.

Otherwise you can watch the rocker arms and watch when the #1 intake valve opens and then turn it over until the intake valve closes... then you're on the #1 piston's compression stroke, you'll need to rotate it a little more past there to get it close enough to ball park it for setting base timing.

Remember you can use a padded stick (screwdriver with electrical tape on the end or what I like to use - a pencil with an eraser) and shove it in the spark plug hole and feel the piston there after the intake valve closes.

 

Well ill be!!! I did what you said looked at my dizzy rotor and its in a whole nother jurisdiction as to were I got my #1 plug...and I guess I was on the exhaust stroke as well...idk but ima peice everything together and pray it fires up

 

Well, raelly, it doesnt matter where the rotor is pointing. Number 1 at 1 TDC is just a tradition I guess. Just habit. It can point towards the driver's seat at #1 TDC as long ast he #1 plug goes to that spot on the distributor cap.

A while back before I got my current set of plug wires I had a set that woudlnt work well with my headers or something, I forget, but some of the plug wires were too short, and I had to rotate each plug boot one or two positions clockwise around the distributor and move the rotor. I had 1 TDC pointing more towards number 7 than number 1. Distributor doesn't care where the rotor points, it's about where the plug wires are in relation to the rotor and the pistons in the firing order.

 

Well I got very close... it ran for a few seconds that then it gets stubborn again...I wanna say its my plugs that are fouled beyond use again, jus got em last week UGH! I'm clueless

 

Ok which valve is the intake and exhaust...id assume that the valve closest to the intake manifold port would be the intake. Still can't get no response...fuel is there, air is there, spark is there still no love! Wtf gives???

 

Intake is closest to the intake port and exhaust is closest to the exhaust port. They're EIIEEIIE down the side.

Or you don't even have to remember which is which if you look at the #6 valves instead of the #1. The point where both the #6 valves are moving is close to #1 TDC firing.

 

Iim star

 

Ooops! But I'm starting to believe this ain't even a timing issue anymore...I rotated the engine watched #1 intake valve rise and lower once it lowered placed a tapped up clothes hanger in the spark socket rotated the engine until the I couldn't pull the clothes hanger out...marked the rotor location reinstalled the dizzy cap matched my wires accordingly and nothing...but I'm getting all the necessities for combustion but no combustion is combusting

 

Pull a plug, check for spark.

Also the above post about the intake and exhaust ports is correct, but if you forget, remember, just look at the intake rnner on the manifold and it will line up with one rocker arm and valve spring. If you have headers they will point directly at the exhaust valve, but if you have the log style manifold it's not quite as obvious.

If there is spark, drain the carb and run some starter fluid (or carb cleaner, or brake cleaner... whatever) down the intake for a second while it's cranking and see what it does. No need to pour a ton of that **** in there, just see if it will fire.

 

Yea I'm getting spark...gapped my plugs and everything I'm about to say F it! This shyt is getting under my skinf terribly I been up since 7 timing and retiming and checking spark plugs and still ain't get no where...preciate the help tho

 

Try starting fluid. If you're getting spark at the right time then that should work.

 

Starting fluid! Never heard that before but at this point I'm willing to try dynomite...but that's weird tho its timed I'm getting spark...do you think I should try to replace my spark wires, try new cables or rebuild my carb

 

Ok...smh after sitting and pondering, bbq starter fluid I've come to realize I may have a bad ignition coil smh...so I guess ill be looking for another thread on how to get this POS out w/ out removing the whole engine....thanks all for the help I learned a lot over the last few days preciate it and ttyl!!!

 

Lol I guess that would work. I would use parts cleaner or brake cleaner or carb cleaner.

What's an ignition coil smh? Try some sort of flammable fluid and spray it down the intake.

Whatever it is it's simple.

Here's a story:

When I bought my first dirtbike a few years ago, it was a Honda CR125 two stroke. I brought it home and rode it for a couple of hours then it seized up. Had to relearn how to be a mechanic all over again on a vehicle that may as well ahve been from mars. But I learned about the two stroke parts and ended up replacing the crankshaft and piston and bottom end bearings in the little dirtbike engine. It's kind of a PITA, have to split the whole engine case apart to get to the innards and then put it back together and make sure it's a perfect seal. 2 strokes are lubricated by oil in the gasoline. If there's a leak around the crankshaft or the cylinder head or anywhere, it will suck in un-metered air and go lean, and lean on a 2 stroke means under lubricated. It's easy to work on but it was voodoo to me at the time.

I ended up replacing all the moving parts in the engine and put it back together and me and a friend spent TWO WEEKS trying to get that thing to fire up again after we fixed it. It just WOULD NOT CRANK. It had spark. It had fuel. It was just a massive mystery and we kicked that damn kickstarter until the cows came home and our feet and legs and hips hurt and I was just about to give up and let a "pro" fix it when we figured out what it was.

The damn carburetor on the bike has a sliding plate that slides up and down to allow air into the engine, the damn throttle cable was getting stuck and the throttle was halfway open. Air/fuel mixture wasn't right at all to get the thing started with the carb that far open. Got a new throttle cable and it started up immediately and although the aftermarket crankshaft I bought for it failed (wiseco garbage) a month later, it ran fine until that point and then it ran fine until I sold it after I replaced the crank again.

Moral of the story is - you can work on something a LONG time and do everything perfectly and if only one thing is off it wont work. Just relax and take care of the simple things and have faith in your work and your parts. It's something simple, just narrow it down.

 

Lol I was being silly I don't think the carb would take too lightly to be treated like a grill...I think tomorrow ill go get a new distributor from "confused auto parts" and see what happens...hopefully that will start her up

 

Why replace it when you already verified spark? pull the drivers side valve cover, or #1 piston, either watch the valve movement while cranking, line balancer and timing mark up and check to see if the rotor points to #1 on ur cap. Also what kind of induction are you running? Carb? TBI? TPI? Are you positive you are getting fuel (have you even tried startung fluid?) Remembr when its running to disable what ever type of advance you are currently running or base timing will be almost impossible to set...

 

I'm using a carb 750 if that even matters..I know I'm getting fuel cause I took of my inlet lines from the carb and turned the engine over and fuel poured into my Mikes Hard Lemonaide bottle (no homo)...took the carb off and toggle with the throttle lever and fuel pee'd out into a bucket I used to catch it...not too sure how to run a compression test, but when I manually turn over the engine it pushes air out like a built up fart. I got spark from the plugs when I checked them...only thing I can imagine is my spark jus not strong enough to explode nothing...idk. I didn't line the line up with timing tab though I thought it was supposed to be a bit before the tab...I guess ill try that later on before I look at new dizzy...don't think it will do me any justice but its worth the try

 

Well I'm trying to narrow it down but I keep noticing something different eveytime I turn the key! Oh by the way the ignition coil is at the top of the distributer it take the power from the battery and multiplies it and sends it to spark plugs but anyway...this time I turn the engine over and it sounds garbage its still not starting but its making this loud gulping sound...like when u try to pour water out of gal. Jug and it forces out...shyts strange I hope I'm not messing up my engine! Compression test..wtf is that and how do you do it

 

Alright...can "jumped timing" stop a car from starting?

 

Teh timing being wrong can. There is no such thing as jumped timing. It is physically locked into the camshaft gear. The cap can rotate wherever it needs to but if you have it locked down where it needs to be there's no way it can move. Distributors cant just "jump teeth". That's some old superstition or something, I dont know where it came from, but it's physically impossible for the most part. You yourself installed it, you know how it slots in and mechanically locks with the camshaft, right? You dont have to take my word on this. You know yourself.

Line the number 1 piston up at TDC. The rotor turns clockwise. Put the number 1 plug just ahead of the rotor when the number 1 piston is at TDC. Rotate it through about an inch range from there and try to get it to fire. I seem to find that the #1 wire about a half inch to an inch ahead of where the rotor's pointing at #1 TDC is usually close enough for it to fire, but it's not exact science when things are constantly moving when you install them.

Just do this... Put some masking tape or duct tape on the intake manifold below the distributor. Check where the rotor is pointing when you drop it in (it could be pointing at the south pole, distrubtor doesnt care) and draw a mark on the duct tape in that direction, ie follow the center of the rotor and draw the line that radiates outward from it. Then install the cap, put the number 1 plug wire just counterclockwise away from that mark. Remember the rotor turns clockwise when the engine is running. The engine will fire if the number 1 plug gets spark BEFORE number 1 TDC. So that means you put the number 1 terminal counterclockwise away from where the rotor is pointing at that point in the engine's rotation.

Remember use some tape and draw where the rotor is pointing at #1. Use that as a reference point when you adjust the timing. Put tape on the number 1 plug wire and write "1" on it so you know which one it is. And just keep it ahead of that mark and move it around a bit until it fires.

If you move it throughout an inch range ahead of that spot the rotor is pointing to and it doesnt fire no matter where you adjust it to, then there's something else amiss.

Are you sure you're getting fuel?

 

Oh come on!!....No more posts? What happened next? Did you get the engine runnin?
I just read all the posts like a story..had me in stitches..had me in suspense...had me feeling all angry...I gotta know the outcome..Im hoping you got it figured out

 

Hell naw...that POS stilling there waiting on some attention, but me and that engine is in a love to hate relationship...but one guy did tell me to check my front carb body, since its the infamous hollry 750 street avenger that's probably my iissue the whole time...but still my timing cover is messed up so I won't be starting nothing til I get a new timing cover/gasket and oil oan gasket

 

This is in reference to jumping time not cam, or distributor gears. Timing chains do jump.
Some cam timing sprockets were molded from nylon over a metal core. if they get hot enough they will melt, or at the least deform.
I had a '78 pickup with that type of sprocket in a 305 that the chain jumped a couple of teeth.

When milling intakes/heads and, or changing distributors/intakes check for distributor bottoming, if it bottoms out severely it will rotate out of time while cranking and running no matter how tight the hold down bolt is tightened not to mention damaging the distributor gear.

For those of you who have properly removed and reinstall a distributor, you know it will start with all else being equal.

You'll definitely have to pull the distributor, to remove the oil pan because the motor will have to be raised to get enough clearance to remove the oil pan.

I would choose one of these guys and have them talk you through the steps of setting the timing (phone, chat, text, or Skype,) if it doesn't start then go to the next requirement for combustion. If you continually crank it with no start you'll definitely foul the plugs, I'd pull the fuse that powers the fuel pump, use cheap plugs, and starter fluid sparingly until it starts.

Could you explain "messed up timing cover", it's pretty well protected behind the water pump and the harmonic dampener.
If you're put a new timing cover might as well change the chain and sprockets while you are there.

Raul.

 

Id like to say, I hope all has had a great thanksgiving, enjoyed mine with friends...but to make this thanksgiving top notch id have to get my car to start lol...wishful thinking I guess...well I have one question you know those plastic timing covers that come on the engine, well I broke mine trying to check my timing chain for stretched linkage, needless to say, the chaine was fine. But I'm having trouble getting the portion of the cover out that hooks on the lip of the pan, I wanna use gaskey remover but I'm worried about getting it in my oil pan I guess...idk, is that even Safe?

 

the oil pan fits into a groove on the timing cover, you have to either remove the oil pan, or loosen the pan bolts and drop the front of the pan down to get the timing cover off. you also have to take off the crank pully and dampener since the timing cover goes around the crank snout. and the water pump, its got to come off too.

 

I know I took all that good stuff off, what I'm saying is, when I took my timing cover off I didn't loosen the oil pan at all...the timing cover was pastic so when I took it off all of it didn't come out so now the lip that goes inside the oil pan is stuck, I was wondering could gasket remover agent loosen it up enough to where I can pull the remaining of the timing cover out

 

should be able to just pry it off. ive never tried this gasket lossening agent you speak of.

 

Tried prying already, its a stubborn little mess...I have a rubber pan gasket and don't want to destroy it, only because I really don't wanna lift this engine to replace it and its a damn near new, engine might have only 1500 miles give or take...so I know it still has life left in it

 

Off topic once again, put everything back cleaned spark plugs and checked wiring, turned it over and it tried starting but then it went back to turning over again, friend of mine told me to change the plugs, but the plugs that are in now are technically new had 4 secs of run time and then this problem persisted, I looked at the fuel and its damn near gold. I'm confused I check everything!!

 

pull a plug and verify youre getting spark. if you are, spray some starting fluid and see what it does. might wanna double check to make sure youre at TDC on the compression stroke for #1 as well. easiest way to do that is to pull #1 spark plug and stick your finger in the hole and have someone bump the engine till you feel pressure. then aligh timing mark to 0 and verify the rotor is pointing to the #1 wire on the cap.

 

Tdc on compression stroke is when the mark on the damper is at 0 and when the intake valve opens and close? all that is good distrib rotor is pointing at 1.

 

what do the plugs look like, and have you verified spark?

 

Some were fouled others looked brand new, the fouled ones were blackend but they still sparked when I held them to the valve cover

 

the engine needs only a few things to run. air is a given, and it sounds like youre getting fuel and spark. so that just leaves 2 options, its either not getting good compression (which isnt very likely) or all of the above is not happening in the right order(timing is off).