installing a distributor is something I hate doing. I dont know why but I always feel that I never put it in right. I have a MSD pro billet that needs to be installed. The coil is remote mounted. Tell me if my steps are worng here.

rotate engine so it is at TDC on COMPRESSION stroke
remove dist cap
install distributor so roter is aiming towards number 1 plug on engine
plug everything in and install the cap.
install all 9 plug wires to there correct post

(optional) rotate the dist clockwise just slighty to help engine start. IS THIS CORRECT?

I know the whole deal with the ESC plug and stuff. the thing that bothers me is aiming the rotor in the correct area.

 

Sounds right to me..

 

Hmmm.....

What's wrong with this idea:

Pull distributor cap on existing distributor, mark direction it's pointing, pull old dizzy, drop in new one pointing to same direction, and start 'er up! ???

 

because that idea wouldnt be possible with a NEW engine rebuild. Thats what we do when we are replacing an old dist with a new new and the engine has not been rotated at all

 

ok, I am in the middle of trying to do this and it ain't working, the car won't start unless I give it gas and then to keep it running I have to keep my foot down on the throttle. also to keep it from shaking all over the place I have to rotate the dizzy all the way CCW? I thought I was on the compression stroke cause it nearly blew my finger out of the #1 plug hole when the timing marker got close to 0 degrees. then I just used a wrench on the crank shaft nut to rotate the engine back to exactly the 0 degree mark. I unpluged the single ESC wire on the pass. side so what gives here?

 

Sorry about the misunderstanding on the NEW REBUILD.

As for 1992ss/rs's problem, sound like the dizzy rotated as you dropped it in and was not actually pointing at number 1 when seated down on the oil pump drive. Try it again, and make sure it's 0-8 BTDC with the rotor point EXACTLY on the number one terminal of the cap when it's seated all the way down. You may have to rotate the oil pump drive with a long screwdriver to get it to seat lined up with the #1 terminal.

 

-install distributor so roter is aiming towards number 1 plug on engine-

install the distributor so the rotor is aiming towards the number 1 on the cap

 

so are these to methods correct or is the later one the right way.

 

Are you still having trouble? I can try to explain how I do it.
If you bring the engine up on #1 compression stroke, the timing marker can be anywhere from 0-8 degrees before top dead center. You can point the rotor at number one cylinder if you like, you may have to rotate the oil pump some in order to do this, a long screw driver will do the trick. At this point when the distributor is fully seated you can spin it around (just like setting timing) Figure out where you want it rotated exactly so everything fits (vacuum advance can if you have it etc..) so nothing hits. Make a note of where the rotor is in relation to the distributor housing, I usually mark the housing with a sharpy. Install the cap and see if you have a terminal on the cap that will line up with your mark. If not rotate the distributor slightly until you have a terminal on the cap that lines up with the rotor, you may have to pull off the cap several times and eyeball it to make sure the rotor lines up with a terminal that you have picked for #1 cylinder. This is where the #1 plug wire will go. Lining it up very close will help the engine start, and if you have the timing mark a few degrees before top dead center then you will have a little advance dialed in already. Run the rest of your wires to the cap, you are ready to go, it should fire without problems.
It's hard to explain without me actually being there. I hope this helps, it works for me everytime, Larry.

 

you said it perfectly. I didnt understadn that at all. but thanks anyway for trying to give me some help

 

Not to make things more confusing for you but there seems to be some debate on where to point the rotor in relation to the engine. Technically it does not matter where you point the rotor as long as you have the #1 plug wire ran to that terminal and then run the rest of the wires accordingly.
If you have the engine up on compression stroke with #1 cylinder you can drop the distributor in with the rotor pointing towards the rear of the car if you like, You just have to make sure you run the #1 wire to that terminal in the rear that lines up with the rotor and then run the rest of the wires in order starting with #1 terminal. The engine will still run fine. It has just been generally accepted that when the engine is on #1 firing order that it made more sense to have the rotor pointing towards the #1 cylinder. But this is not a necessity.
Just pick a spot on the cap where you want you #1 wire to go to and make sure the rotor button lines up with it, thats it.
Run the rest of the wires clockwise around the cap following the firing order. Peice of cake. Larry.

 

Does that help you anymore? I am not sure how else to explain it. Sorry if it sounds confusing, wish I was there I would give you a hand, it only takes a couple minutes. Let me know how it turns out. Larry.

 

Now thats a lot better. thanks Larry. I understand that and always wondered about that. So now, all those times I have ha dot pull out the dist and put it backin a 30 times to try and line it up with the number 1 cylinder where usless huh? As long as I get to TDC on the compression stroke then al I have to make sure is that the tip of the rotor is directly below the terminal on the dist that my number 1 wire wil go to.

 

Absolutely correct.

 

absolutely correct. Glad I could help. I was ready to give you my phone number to call me, I thought I might be able to explain it better on the telephone. Good luck, Larry.

 

How is that Dissy working for you? any problems?

 

cant answer that yet,I havent got to that point yet. The engine is on the stand and I am slowly getting more things to finish putting al the parts back on the engine so I can drop it back in the car. I'll be sure to post my results here after I get the engine fired. One other thing though Is it a good idea to turn the diszzy a little clockwise to help start the engine? I ask because my cam specs are 224/230 .502/.510 and Imnot sure how well thing thing is gonna turn over with a cam like that and the dizy dropped in at basically 0 degrees. Comp cams wants me to start off at 12 degress. Holy crap

 

Glad to here it is coming along. As far as timing to help start it, What I usually do is when you have the #1 cylinder up on top dead center, I always move the timing mark about 10 degrees before top dead center (may have to do this with wrench on balancer bolt to get it exact) and then line the rotor button up exactly with the #1 plug wire terminal on the cap, this way you will have 10 degrees advance dialed in and the engine should fire right up and then you can adjust from there. This is how I do my older cars, since this is computerized (I assume) these cars really don't have alot of initial timing in them, something like 4 degrees if I am not mistaken, but since your combo is not stock this wont apply, you will have to find what your particular engine likes, trial and error on and engine dyno or track testing.
Anyway, if you want to advance the timing on a chevrolet V-8 the distributor will need to be turned counter clockwise, Turning the distributor clockwise will retard the timing. Let me know how it is going. Larry.

 

Thanks for clearing that up. I though it was CW. I do have to turn the primer CW though to prime the engine right?

 

yup

 

how does one find tdc? i wasnt sure so when i put my dist in, i hooked up the compression guage, unplugged the coil and tapped the starter several times until it moved. seems to be running alright, but what the hell do i know? does it have to be top dead center or just firing the cylinder as its on its compression stroke? another thing is i had a hell of a time trying to get that gauge on the #1 plug hole so i used #2. that alright?

 

I've never used #2 to determine TDC, but if you are lining the dist to where you have the #2 wire it should work. Most people use one person to bump the starter, and the other with their finger over the #1 cylinder spark plug hole and wait till air comes out. I don't trust a compression gauge. As long as the balancer isn't walked (outer ring rotates so the timing marks are incorrect) it should be correct.
If you really are bored you can get a piston stop and a degree wheel, but that is 10 times a complicated and totally unnecessary.