Reinstalling a distributor

[356robo]

OK. I screwed up. I was rushing and pulled my distributor to install new clips. Being an ex 356 guy, I thought the distributor could only go in one way.

To reinstall, I set the pulley at TDC on #1 cyl. I then put the distributor in with the rotor pointing at the mark on the distributor indicating #1.

When I put the timing light on the pulley, it lights up the 30 degree pulley marks.

What is the correct process to reinstall a distributor so its fires #1 at 4 degrees at 900 idle?

BTW, its a 70 2.2

Thanks in advance,

Robo

[tmctguer]

some photos from my '73E Pertronix conversion that show distributor installation.

the first picture is horribly out of focus but it shows the rotor pointing to the mark on the distributor showing #1. the sedond picture shows the timing marks lined up at TDC. i hope they help.

[snbush67]

If I understand your post correctly ... you removed the distributor while the engine pulley tdc alignment was unknown and then when you went to put the distributor back in you rotated the engine back to tdc and installed the distributor with the rotor pointed to the alignment notch in the distributor housing.

You most likely set your distributor to send a spark to # 1 when it should be sending a spark to #4 in other words the distributor 180 degrees off.

The #1 piston fires in the same place #4 fires but on a different rotation in relation to the crank pulley.

Basically the crank (engine pulley) turns two times for every one rotation of the distributor.

The distributer fires 6 times per distributor rotation in order 1,6,2,4,3,5.

So at the first mark on the crank pulley it fires #1
120 degrees later it fires #6
120 degrees later #2
120 degrees back at TDC #4 for a total of 360 degrees
then #3 and #5 in the same manner
this completes two rotations of the engine pulley and only one rotation of the distributor.

The rotor fires on #1 and on #4 at the same place depending on the rotation, so you probably set your distributor 180 degrees off.

Fix...

Step 1: Rotate the engine so that the distributor rotor is pointing at the notch and the crank pully tdc mark is aligned withthe mark in the fan housing,

Step 2 : Take the distributor out

Step 3: Rotate the engine ClockWise (only one rotation, if you accidently go by your mark, then you have to go around another two times, never rotate your engine counter clock wise ) until the TDC mark is aligned with the mark in the fan housing again.

Step 4: Put the distributor back in so that the rotor points to the notch in the distributor again.

Step 5: Start and run engine, If it starts and runs smooth you should be good to go, if it doesn't start or starts and runs really bad then take it out rotate the crank pulley 360 degrees and install the distributor again.

Step 6: When engine is warm loosen the distributor mounting bolt and advance the timing to 5 degrees BTDC + or - 2 degrees.

There are other ways of determining when you are at tdc for #1 but if you arent on it now then you got a 100% chance of nailing it this time.

[snbush67]

Just read your post again, I may have misinterpreted what you did, or maybe not.... anywho...

If you are getting 30 degrees at idle then it is possible that you may have unintentionally re-indexed your distributor, what this means is you simply have it a gear thread (or two) off, if you lift it out and rotate the whole thing slightly it should index itself so that when you lower it into its hole the gear threads will cause the whole distributor to turn and when it is completely seated in it will be in the right spot. I think you will have to re-index it counterclockwise to retard the timing.

I hope this thread caught you before you tried the above post.

[356robo]

Thanks all,

snbush67, I tried to reinstall after turning shaft to next gear slot, but then the rotor is not pointing at the mark for #1 on the distributor body.

Next week I'll try it again.

Robo

[Walter_Middie]

356robo,

The idea of pointing the rotor at the mark is only to get you close. It doesn't really matter where the rotor is pointing, as long as your timing light says the timing is correct. Put the distributor in the car - with the rotor pointing somewhere near the mark, start it, and adjust until the timing is correct.

If you turn the distributor all the way one direction and need to go more, then pull out the distributor, rotate in the direction needed for more adjustment, reinstall, start, and use the timing light again. The final place the rotor ends up is not important - only the timing is important.

[356robo]

Thanks Walter,

I'll try that next week. I'll have to figure out why the distributor hold down clamp limits the movement of the distributor.

Robo