s10sbc350

Hey, so i have a 72 sbc 350 motor that i am installing on my 86 iroc-z here soon, and the 350 has no distributor on it so im taking the one off my 305tpi motor tommoro. I have dont understand how to do this but i did some research and have an ideal of whats done but basicaly, i get motors #1 piston to Tdc, then alighn timing marks on the timing chains gear or well ya thats where i get lost, and i as tld it's a 3hr job.
Also can i get the distributor in with motor not able to be cranked since its not in the car? Thanks

s10sbc350

Also i kinda understand this post that i found is this all rite what the guy said in text below?

you know your #1 cylinder is at tdc
yes . OK then loosen your distributor bolt so you can move your distributor back and forth, now then on the top of your distributor cap find the mark . it is a #1 marked on it . make sure it aligns with your rotor . if it is not try to get it as close as you can , now then reinstall your distributor cap and hold your #1 plug wire about a 1/4 inch from a good ground source , now turn your ignition key on but DO NOT crank the engine
, now then slowly turn your distributor until you hear a click or see the spark coming from the wire in between the wire and
the good ground source .try a couple of times . you will get it . once you get the spark hold it in place and tight the holding bolt on your distributor.turn your ignition off and reinstall your wire on your plug , and voila you are all set you don't even need an timing light . good luck . it works every time .just make sure your # 1 cylinder is at TDC. and your rotor is align with the mark on the distributor cap

8t2 z-chev

I usually just set the timing marks to slightly before TDC,install the dizzy and wires and start-if you get pops and bangs,dizzy is likely 180*out.You will have to use a long screwdriver or something to position the oil pump shaft drive slot so that it will mate with distributor gear as gear meshes with cam gear and turns some as dizzy drops into position-may take several tries to get it right.

novaderrik

it's just a matter of lining things up...
line up the timing mark on the balancer- turn it clockwise as you look at it from the front until it lines up with about 10BTDC on the pointer... remove the #1 spar4k plug and hold your thumb over the hole as you approach the timing mark- if it tries to push your finger off, then you are at TDC on the #1 firing stroke... if not, you are coming up to #6 and need to turn the motor over one more time.. shine a flashlight down the distributor hole- you will see the oil pump driveshaft.. turn it with a screwdriver until it's pointing towards the #1 spark plug...
there, now the engine is ready for you to drop it in, so now it's time to take a look at the distributor..
use a sharpie to make on the distributor where the #1 spark plug terminal is- it will be the one that's pointed towards the #1 spark plug when it's installed... line up the rotor with the snarpie mark, then turn it counter clockwise (as seen from the top of the distributor) one terminal on the cap.. now it's just a matter if sliding it in- don't forget the round gasket on the distributor.. if you lined everything up right, it will drop right in and the timing will be set at 10BTDC when the rotor is pointed at the #1 wire terminal.

when you are doing this, keep reminding yourself that people built thousands of these things on a moving assembly line every day and they were designed to be put together fast- with the rotor, cap, and plug wires already installed on the distributor- so if things aren't going together right then you probably missed something simple..

s10sbc350

So i can install motor then put distributor on it, or is it way easier to do it with motor out?

zraffz

If you do it with the motor out it's a five minute job. Your first time it might not go that easy cause it's difficult mating the pump drive in the notch properly.

Basically, TDC on #1. Put cap over distributor, mark #1 terminal center on distributor side (for later explanation). Spin oil pump shaft to match distributor tip. Drop distributor in; if it doesn't seat fully you are hitting the oil pump shaft and not seating properly so take it out and spin the oil pump shaft more. Good measurement is to point rotor to #1 cylinder at TDC but it isn't necessary as long as terminals follow firing order that the rotor starts at.
Spin your distributor so your #1 marking lines up with center of rotor. This will bring you close to 0* timing within a few degrees and at least allow it to start.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Are you running the factory carb/intake/TPI/whatever?

s10sbc350

No it was tpi, its a 76 sbc350 from c10 with a mild cam, roller rockers, and holley intake which will be getting swapped out for one of my edelbrock intakes, but the motors internals are supposed to be rebuilt to stock 25k ago accept mild cam. The distributor i have is off the 86 iroc-z 305 motor.

s10sbc350

Ok i got most of that but this part confused me

"Good measurement is to point rotor to #1 cylinder at TDC but it isn't necessary as long as terminals follow firing order that the rotor starts at."
I dont understand what you mean by point rotor to the #1 cylinder? Like point the terminal on top of distributor cap towards the #1 piston? Which makes n since unless it's just towards that general area and you eye it rite? sorry if im an idiot

zraffz

When you seat the distributor you want the metal tip on the rotor to line up or point in the direction of the front cylinder on the drivers side of the motor. Then when you put the cap on the distributor you want to line up the number 1 terminal on the cap directly center of the rotor.

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

Unless you run the factory TPI computer with that distributor it will not function properly. You need a mechanical/vacuuum advance large cap HEI distributor. A 1975 chevy anything with a v8 will have the correct one.

The rotor is a little device under the distributor cap. The rotor, the cap, and the engine all need to be synchronized properly. The general rule of thumb to make this easy is to point the rotor at #1 TDC while the engine is at #1 TDC of the COMPRESSION stroke. You then install the distributor cap and wire accordingly with the #1 terminal in roughly the same spot as the rotor is pointing.

s10sbc350

ok so what part of the rotor gets aimed at the #1 cylinder? I can then tape a string to rotor and run to #1 cylinder and it should be pretty close.

8t2 z-chev

it is the brass contact on the rotor you want to point to the contact for #1 cylinder spark plug in the distributor cap(will also point in general direction of #1 cylinder with the usuall spark plug wire position)

zraffz

if you are a tooth off it won't point directly at number 1

vetteoz

iTrader: (13)

As noted above ,the rotor pointing to # 1 cylinder is only for convenience.

What rotor has to do is point to # 1 spark plug wire on the DIST CAP

So after the dist is installed @ TDC # 1compression , you rotate the dist base until the #1 plug wire on the dist cap lines up with the center of the rotor.
If you can't work that out, install the cap , mark dist base where #1 wire is , then remove the cap and use that mark on the base as your guide point

InfernalVortex

iTrader: (4)

It doesnt matter how close it is. It just matters that you know where it is.


Again, if you're using a Fuel injection distributor on a carbureted car it's not going to work.

s10sbc350

Ya tuned P already messaged me that i neede the different carb with vacum advance on it, but thanks lol i will be ording the rite dist next week.