Distributor O-ring

[JINKATIN]

Another dumb question. I am replacing the distributor o-ring, but I don't know where it goes. Is it the red one? If so, the o-ring that I got from our host seems too narrow, or does it go somewhere else.

Thanks

[4sd911]

The one on your dist. has flattened out over time from heat.

[JINKATIN]

Thanks bro, I just wanted to be sure

[sc_rufctr]

I know it's OEM but it's interesting that the new one is black.

[JINKATIN]

Well, I installed the o-ring and installed the distributor back in the car. Now the darn car will not start.

[47silver]

If you put it in sometimes it turns and is on the wrong tooth.
I assume you put the engine to #1 top dead center before removing it? If not do that and then put the distributor back with the rotor lined up to the notch on the distributor. This should get you started.
Did you adjust the gap when you had it out, easy to do.
Make sure the wiring is correct,, and it is sometimes easy to pull the wire off of the coil when working with the distributor.

[HFR_Racer]

You have a ton of distributor shaft end play shown in your first photo. It might be wise to recondition your distributor. It's likely that the stainless steel shim located underneath the mechanical advance portion of your distributor head is gone and the distributor head is eating into your distributor housing.

My $0.02

[Gunter]

Originally Posted by JINKATIN

Well, I installed the o-ring and installed the distributor back in the car. Now the darn car will not start.

It's not the darn car's fault. Year and type of 911 would help.

Most likely, you didn't turn the engine cw to Z1 for cylinder #1 on the pulley before removing and when you re-installed the distributor, ignition timing was lost.

Rotate the engine cw by hand to Z1 on the pulley, open the cap.
If the rotor doesn't point to the notch, pull the distributor out and re-insert so the rotor points to the notch. If it's off a little, you may have to go ahead or back one tooth.

[gtc]

That looks like a 3.2 distributor, which means no points gap to adjust. It sounds to me like you didn't put the distributor back in with the rotor pointing in the same direction as when you removed it. You may have to turn the crank to TDC (be sure to find the correct mark on the pulley) then install the distributor with the rotor pointing to the TDC mark on the distributor housing.

Edit: Beaten to the punch....

[JINKATIN]

Thanks for the help guys. Gunter you are right, it is not my car's fault. It is the idiot who did not take his time to do the repair right. It's an 86 Carrera 3.2. Yeah, I did not set it to Z1 prior to removing the distributor. I'll work on it when I get out of work. Thanks again guys for the help.

[JINKATIN]

How do I set it to z1?

[JINKATIN]

I have it set at tdc, I pulled the distributor out to set it, now the distributor will not go in. What am I doing wrong?

Thanks

[JINKATIN]

I finally got it in, the car starts, I'm going to bed.

Thanks

[Wil Ferch]

I've posted on this before.....then angle cut of the dizzy gear can goof you up maybe by one tooth. Let me explain--->

Sure....set yoursrlf up positioned on Z1, etc, etc. Notice where the dizzy rotor arm is pointed just before removal. Make a crayon mark ( let's call it "A") where it's pointed, on the side of the dizzy. As you pull the dizzy completely out, the angle cut of the dizzy gear will make it rotate ever-so-slightly an additional amount. Just as the dizzy comes "completely" out of its position then, mark this "new" location and call it "B".

Hint---> when you put it back in-place, your target mark is "B" and not "A". As you push ( yes....with the new O-ring push "hard" until it pops back in....that could be your problem), you will see the dizzy rotor magically rotate a bit back to "A" where you started. Now you are sure your back in-place where you started.

[Gunter]

Originally Posted by JINKATIN

How do I set it to z1?

Glad to hear you succeded and one more recommendation:

Get the Bentley Carrera Repair Manual, you'll love it.

It's the best tool for DIY.

[JINKATIN]

Thanks guys. Will, I did notice that, the rotor turned and I thought that should not happen. That is why it took so long. I just kept reading that the rotor had to be aligned when the distributor was installed, I did not know that it would move as I installed the distributor. Gunter, I do have the Bentley but as I turned the nut on the fan, only the fan would move. After a good 30 minutes of taking a break from this mess, I decided to maybe put some tension on the belt and sure enough that did the job. Now the car starts up a lot faster than before. I'm just happy I was able to do this myself, I was about to give up and just have it towed to the shop.

Thanks again guys