I just finished replacing my head gaskets. Before removing the distributor I marked the base of the distributor at the manifold and also the position of the rotor. When I went to put it back, the rotor would not line up where I had marked it. What I assume had happened was the engine had turned because I had left it in gear when I jacked up the car to connect the downpipes to the exhaust manifolds. Not knowing how much the engine had turned, I put the distributor back, just lining the base up with the manifold mark for the correct timing, but the rotor was not where I had marked it.

When I went to start it, it just cranked and didn't start. Probably just as well, because the fuel pump was pissing gas. It looks like when I undid the steel fuel line, it was so tight that the square port on the bottom of the fuel pump tore a gap causing a leak. So I got a new fuel pump.

So, with the new fuel pump, I tried starting it again before messing with the distributor. It didn't start, but I heard a couple of muffled pops in the intake or exhaust. Presuming the distributor was 180 degrees out, I pulled it and turned it 180 degrees and tried again. This time it didn't start either, just cranked. I didn't hear any pops. But I did smell gas.

Now I'm confused. Is it supposed to fire at all with the distributor 180 degrees off? Was I too impatient waiting for it to start? I'm assuming the distributor will only go in 2 ways, the right way and 180 degrees out, because there is a tongue at the bottom of the shaft that goes in a groove. So what is the helical gear for? Am I missing something?

(This is a carbed 305)

 

You need to re-time the engine.
Pull # 1 spark plug , put finger over hole and wind engine over until pressure blows your finger off the hole.
Look at timing mark on the balancer , most likely will have to wind engine back a fraction to line it up with the mark ( 6 degrees ) on the timing cover
Now install dist in desired position ,you will have to use a long screwdriver to align the groove in the pump shaft with the angle on the tab at bottom of dist

The gear is what drives the dist from the cam.The dist then drives the oil pump by connection to the groove you speak of.
This groove can be moved to any position you like

 

Easiest way to redo it is by taking off the drivers side valve cover. Rotate your motor, watching the #1 valves and the TDC mark on the balancer. One rotation will have a valve shutting and another opening right after the TDC mark. Rotate the crank one more full rotation to re-allign your TDC mark. Now drop your distributor in with the rotor pointing to the #1 terminal and preferably with the rotor pointing toward the #1 cylinder for good practice.

 

Okay, that explains a lot. But I also have another problem. The timing tab that is usually bolted on the timing cover is missing. I know the approximate location, so I was able to eyeball TDC close enough to adjust the rockers, but I certainly can't time the ignition properly. I don't really want to pull the head again to determine the exact TDC with an indicator.

 

Your going to want a timing indicator. You can find the TDC through probing the piston through the spark plug hole. And forget about all this 180* stuff. You can put the distributor in anywhere you want because there are plenty of teeth between the cam and the distributor to choose from. And as mentioned above, just stick a long handled flat screwdriver down the hole to position the oil pump shaft where you want it.

 

Okay, I didn't quite grasp it yesterday, but have been thinking about it a lot. Looks like vetteoz explained it.

When the engine turned while distributor was out, only the cam gear turned, not the oil pump (which is driven by the tongue on the bottom of the distributor). So now the relationship between the oil pump and distributor is lost, which would have guided the distributor back in the correct position by just having the rotor where I had marked it. Now the only way to get it in right is to have #1 piston before TDC in the firing position with the valves closed, the rotor lined up with #1 plug wire, and keep turning the oil pump with a long screwdriver until the distributor goes in all the way and the rotor lines up with #1 plug wire. (Well since it's a helical gear, I'd actually have to start with the rotor somewhere between 1 and 2 so it ends up at #1 wire when it's in.) I didn't count the teeth on the distributor gear, but it looks like all the Google images I see are 13 teeth. From that I guess that I could not get one tooth out with the distributor base where I marked it without the vacuum advance canister being obviously out of position or hitting something. Am I right?

 

Unless you have an aftermarket timing cover, the tab should be welded on, and at the 12:00 position. You have to look down between the water pump and block. Where the distributor was set before is irrelevant now. You will need to set it with a timing light after initially setting it up as vetteoz described.

 

I see nothing anywhere on the timing cover, or any evidence of a tab having broken off. Certainly nothing at 12 o'clock behind the water pump. The only place visible and accessible with a timing light is around 1 o'clock, where I usually expect to see it, overlapping the harmonic balancer, but there's nothing there, or anywhere else on the front of the timing cover. When I was adjusting the rockers I used the timing line on the balancer at roughly 1 o'clock to approximate TDC and that's when I noticed there was no timing tab. I've had this car since '99 and never needed to time it, so never noticed the tab was missing. Now I wonder how the previous owner timed it because the engine had been recently built.

Where I expect the timing tab that's not there.

 

Just to add, this is what the missing timing tab probably looks like, bolted on with the timing cover bolts.

 

now there is a difference in timing tabs on our timing chain cover.some are at the 12 o,clock position .others are more like 1 o,clock. now if someone mismatched the combo here when they built the engine. as in, used a different balancer your timing marks obviously will not match up.

 

Yeah, maybe my timing cover isn't OE and should have a bolt-on timing tab, but it's missing. I can't see it being at 12 o'clock because it would be impossible to use a timing light if it's behind the water pump. The only "window" is at around 1-2 o'clock. Anyway, I ordered a tab similar to the one I show in the post above from Summit. ($3 + $18 shipping to third world Canada)

Anyway, I've made some progress. Put #1 cylinder at approximately TDC and turned the distributor rotor to #1 and turned the oil pump with a long screwdriver until I could drop the dizzy in and bolted it down so my mark at the base lined up. After putting everything back, I tried to start it and at least I got some firing. However, it would only run at a rough idle holding the gas pedal to the floor and die if I tried to let up. I concluded it must be way retarded, so I cranked the dizzy way over until the vac canister almost touched the intake manifold. This time it started and ran almost normal, so I'll have to pull the dizzy again and advance it one tooth so I have a normal range of timing adjustment available. Once it runs normally when I have the distributor set at my mark, I'll put a timing light on it to see where the line on the balancer shows up.

 

Usually I would say don't bother taking the dist out again for the sake of 1 gear tooth, but in your case you will have to if the vacuum advance is interfering with adjustment.

After you get the timing tab on, it might be worth your while to make sure the "0" mark lines up with the balancer mark when the piston is at TDC.

Shipping to Canada is a killer, you might want to try Wismer's or C&W in Woodstock, both sell speed parts.

 

Well, one tooth off was enough that the distributor was still retarded with the vacuum advance canister touching the manifold and I wanted to get it back to where I had marked the base so at least I had the timing from before.

Never thought of looking to order a timing tab locally because Google only found it at Classic Industries and Summit. I live just outside Woodstock and after Canadian Tire, C&W is my go-to parts store. That's where I got the gasket set and he had the fuel pump on the shelf.

Anyway, the car is running fine now with the distributor at its original mark.

 

You're right!

I have the distributor set exactly where I marked it before this project and it idles and runs fine. So today I put my timing light on it to see where it is in relation to the new timing tab I installed. The line on the balancer was nowhere in sight! However, when I pointed the light from above down behind the water pump, there it was, at around 12 o'clock. Looks like my fancy chrome timing tab was a waste of money, unless I can precisely mark another line on the balancer to work with it.

 

Yeah, way to go Rusty, wish I knew the timing tab was the wrong one. The 2:00 timing mark is 10* offset from the keyway, the 12:00 is 40* offset. Subtract the former from the latter and you are 30* off. If you have a timing light with adjustable advance, you can set it to 30* and use you timing tab as normal. Or add 30* to your initial timing and it will show on your TDC mark on the tab when you have it set right. Other options are a damper cover with the proper marks or get the right damper.

 

Yeah, I figured there was a specific number of degrees between the two timing marks. I was thinking this could be solved with an adjustable timing light, but mine isn't. However, it would be simple to make another timing mark on the damper 30* ahead, if that's what the difference is.