Distrubutor installation checklist:

[H.G.P.]

I would like some verification on distributor installation please:

Are the following correct?

1. TDC No. 1 cylinder, Z1 mark on pulley straight up.

2. There should be clearance on #1, and therefore the rockers on #1 should have a very slight wiggle. (0.10mm clearance)

3. No. 4 should have no clearance, should be at overlap, and the rockers on this no. 4 cylinder do not move.


Also: I do not have a "hash mark" on the distributor housing to align the rotor tip to. .........

....... But I do have large #1 marked on the distributor side. Is that the alignment spot?

And what exactly is the rotor "tip"? Thank you

Thanks

[addictionMS]

yup sounds right, getting close now, looking forward to hearing it all went well.

Jim

[H.G.P.]

Also: I do not have a "hash mark" on the distributor housing to align the rotor tip to. .........

....... But I do have large #1 marked on the distributor side. Is that the alignment spot?

And what exactly is the rotor "tip"? Thank you

[Rot 911]

Hmm, all the 911 distributors I have ever seen have a notch for #1. The notch is at about the 4 0'clock position if you were looking straight down on the distributor. If the mark is in that location then you are probably just fine. The tip of the rotor is the end of the rotor with the brass tip.

[Rot 911]

Did you buy Wayne's engine rebuild manual from Pelican? If so you should have received the bonus CD rom that has tons of additional rebulid picture like this one:

[addictionMS]

plus, it is not a big deal if you get this wrong, when you go to start it, it will be clear there is a problem with the timing, backfiring through the carbs and exhaust, so try it, and if you are backfiring, you got it wrong. no harm done.

Jim

[KlaasyT]

Hi. When I first looked at mine I didn't see it either because of a black cover beneath the rotor. I pulled off the rotor then the cover and problem solved.

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by Kurt V
[/B]

I have the book, and I do not have a notch in the picture on the distributor.

There is a "1" marked on the side just to the right of where the wire goes into the dizzy.

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by H.G.P.
I have the book, and I do not have a notch in the picture on the distributor.

There is a "1" marked on the side just to the right of where the wire goes into the dizzy.

I tried for neary three hours, that's right three hours on putting it in, would not budge past where the O-ring begins to enter the hole.

With a depth caliper, the O-ring enters possibly close to where the bottom of the dizzy first meshes, so I dare not try to force in down. Perhaps tomorrow I'll remove the O-ring just to see how far.

I still, from the book photo, do not know what the rotor "tip" is. Is it the entire copper end?, one side of the copper end?. Tip?

I tried to install the dizzy with this in mind, but cannot tell whether the alignmment of the rotor to #1 is effecting entry into the hole either.

[curiousone940]

The leading edge of the rotor tip is the point at which contact is first made with the corresponding points inside the cap (the rotor turns clockwise); if you can't get the distributor/rotor to align the leading edge of the rotor with the "hash mark" on the housing, then you can adjust it later on by rotating the distributor vis-a-vis the 13mm nut at the base of the distributor (just try to get these two reference points as close as possible and then fine tune later). You should have a good snug fit when the distributor shaft mates with the engine case....if you're having to force the distributor into the case, it will distort the rubber o-ring. If that's the case, you need to re-examine the o-ring that you're using and go to a fresh, different configuration. I believe that motor oil on rubber will cause the o-ring to expand, so you might want to try some silicone lubricant instead.

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by curiousone940
The leading edge of the rotor tip is the point at which contact is first made with the corresponding points inside the cap (the rotor turns clockwise); if you can't get the distributor/rotor to align the leading edge of the rotor with the "hash mark" on the housing, then you can adjust it later on by rotating the distributor vis-a-vis the 13mm nut at the base of the distributor (just try to get these two reference points as close as possible and then fine tune later). You should have a good snug fit when the distributor shaft mates with the engine case....if you're having to force the distributor into the case, it will distort the rubber o-ring. If that's the case, you need to re-examine the o-ring that you're using and go to a fresh, different configuration. I believe that motor oil on rubber will cause the o-ring to expand, so you might want to try some silicone lubricant instead.

The distributor is now going in. It's just beginning to engage, but I still can't make heads or tails of the rotor tip as the picture on page 178 (9-13) of the rebuild book, shows the CD wire connector way over to the left of the distributor mark. And if 9-13 is showing where the first contact is made with the rotor tip, then that photo means counterclockwise rotation????



Is the so called "tip" on the left part of the copper, or the right part??? It seems to me with clockwise rotation the photo arrow should be first contact on the right part of the copper.

[curiousone940]

I've not specifically worked on a '69 P-car....just recently worked on a '74 and I'm pretty sure the rotor turns clockwise. Assuming the crank position is at Z-1 and #1 is at TDC, then point/fix the leading edge of the rotor tip as close as you can to the #1 position on the cap, lock it down and see if it will start. If it doesn't maybe you're 180 degrees out...re-position the distributor accordingly and give it another try. It wont hurt anything if the distributor is out of sync...it just wont start.

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by curiousone940
I've not specifically worked on a '69 P-car....just recently worked on a '74 and I'm pretty sure the rotor turns clockwise. Assuming the crank position is at Z-1 and #1 is at TDC, then point/fix the leading edge of the rotor tip as close as you can to the #1 position on the cap, lock it down and see if it will start. If it doesn't maybe you're 180 degrees out...re-position the distributor accordingly and give it another try. It wont hurt anything if the distributor is out of sync...it just wont start.

I took photos just before removal, and I am putting it in as close to the same orientation.

Also, I think this could be important, with the distribributor now engaging, I can just slightly "spring rotate" it, and the points will just begin to open.

[ChrisBennet]

As to your difficulty with getting the distributor in; unless the original is broken I don't replace the distributor O-ring anymore. I've never seen a leak from that area and the new O-rings make it a pain to put in the distributor. WHo knows, maybe I'm setting myself up for Reserved Seating in Hell but I don't see the harm.

The hash mark on the Bosche distributors I've seen tend to be faint and hard to see. I've got a friend with a '69E. If you get stuck let me know and I'll pay him a visit and take a picture of the distributor if that would help you.

-Chris

[H.G.P.]

Originally posted by ChrisBennet
As to your difficulty with getting the distributor in; unless the original is broken I don't replace the distributor O-ring anymore. I've never seen a leak from that area and the new O-rings make it a pain to put in the distributor. WHo knows, maybe I'm setting myself up for Reserved Seating in Hell but I don't see the harm.

The hash mark on the Bosche distributors I've seen tend to be faint and hard to see. I've got a friend with a '69E. If you get stuck let me know and I'll pay him a visit and take a picture of the distributor if that would help you.

-Chris

Well it's in, with the new O-ring. I just made sure the O-ring had enough lub, but it's a pretty good fit.

The evidence I am going by, is that the distributor is in the same orientation as when I removed it (I did mark all the ignition wires and their cooresponding cap connections by cylinder no. upon removal also), and finally......the points will just beginning to open if I move the rotor clockwise.

Thanks