TDC not to be found

kabmedic · kabmedic's Garage

I think that my distributor is off. I tried to find TDC in order to adjust valve clearance. When the rotor is pointed at the notch on the distributor housing, Piston #1 is all of the way down and the notch on the flywheel is also pointed down. It appears that at TDC, the #1 spark plug wire is located where the # 4 should be. What doI do?

Tidybuoy · 12:19 PM

I believe that you shoud get the engine at TDC by using the mark on the flywheel and confirming by looking at the placement of the Piston. then re-set the distributor so that the rotor is pointing at the mark on the distributor, then re route the plug wires so that they are in the correct order (starting with #1 where the rotor is pointing to).

After everything is re-set, you can time the engine.

Vern

philinjax · 05-16-2005, 11:59 AM

Tidybuoy has it right.

Phil

kabmedic · kabmedic's Garage

I have taken the distributor off and placed the engine at TDC. But the distributor will not go back in with the rotor pointing at the notch on the distributor

Jared at Pelican Parts · 05-16-2005, 03:00 PM

Timing is probably 180 off....

Headrage · 05-16-2005, 03:43 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jared Fenton
Timing is probably 180 off....

Could be. I would make sure the notch on the fan and the flywheel match and also verify that #1 is at TDC. Your rotor should be pointing straight towards the front of the car and no more than 16 degrees to the driver side. If it is pointing somewhere else, the distributor is off. Cap'n correct me if I'm wrong.

Miles, shut up.....

Dave at Pelican Parts · Dave at Pelican Parts's Garage

The distributor drive shaft could be installed in the wrong orientation. It happens from time to time. You need to find TDC#1 (check the mark on the flywheel; it should be in the upper notch on the transmission bellhousing; check that both valves on #1 are loose) and then you can pull the driveshaft out and put it in correctly.

To pull it out, you remove the distributor. Then you reach in with a dental pick or similar implement and pull out the coil spring that sits in the recess in the middle of the driveshaft. Then you use some circlip pliers or a similar tool--something that you can get to reliably expand inside the recess in the top of the driveshaft--and use that to pull the driveshaft out. You will have to twist it one way or the other at the same time that you pull up, due to the tilt or curve on the drive gear.

Be careful not to let the washer on the bottom of the driveshaft fall off into the sump! If it does, you'll need to go and get it... Not a happy thing by any stretch of the imagination!

Haynes has a photo of the correct orientation of the notch in the driveshaft at TDC#1. It goes 12 degrees left of straight fore-and-aft, but I forget if the notch is offset left or offset right. Check the photo.

Use the circlip pliers again to install the shaft down into the motor. Remember that it has to twist some in order to seat all the way down, so you have to take that twist out before you start the shaft down into the bore.

Don't forget the anti-rattle spring that goes in the recess on top of the driveshaft.

--DD

ken180 · 05-18-2005, 07:40 AM

I am not sure I would try and fix it.

The chance of loosing the washer when you lift the distributer drive is high.

The motor is running OK, so just mark the edge of the distributer where #1 is TDC now and use that mark when adjusting the valves.

Ken

Jason Porter · 05-20-2005, 12:11 AM

This is the procedure we use for all Type 4's in our shop, and is the only one I'd ever use for an aggressive cam...period.

Valve adjustment procedure for aggressive, overlapped cams...

ratwell · 05-20-2005, 12:26 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Dave at Pelican Parts
[B]Haynes has a photo of the correct orientation of the notch in the driveshaft at TDC#1. It goes 12 degrees left of straight fore-and-aft, but I forget if the notch is offset left or offset right. Check the photo.

The notch faces the oil cooler.

Headrage · 07:04 PM

The rotor should face the left front wheel at TDC. That is "IF" the fan and flywheel marks are lined up currectly....

ruddyboys · 05-21-2005, 03:45 AM

had the same problem when the po put in the new cam. i tried what dd said and it still never came out correct. i just put small notch on the engine and some paint to show were tdc is.