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i don’t know anything about engine timing. I have a brand new motor and am dropping the distributor in. I was trying to get the cap pointed at #1 cylinder. Can someone please look at the two pictures and let me know what position would work best for the tach drive hook up. I’m not sure which way I would end up turning the distributor for adjusting the timing after I fire the motor, so wanted to know what position would work best to hook the tach up.
i have the balancer set at 15 degrees on the compression stroke per the engine builder.
again, I don’t know anything about ignition timing. Trying to learn though. Rotor pointed at about middle of valve cover Rotor pointed just passed tip of valve cover
On your damper, get the mark to line up with "0" on your indicator (timing cover) top-dead-center on the compressions stroke, not 15 degrees which you have. Your first picture looks like the distributor rotor is pointing at the number 7 cylinder (cap); the second picture indicates the number 2 cylinder. Position your rotor to point to the 7 o'clock position (reference your cap) and drop in. You may want to use a long-bladed screwdriver to line up the oil pump shaft but that is unnecessary.
I would set the static timing at 8-10* BTDC on the #1 cylinder compression stroke. As Dan stated, you want the rotor to face the #1 post on the distributor cap NOT facing towards the #1 cylinder on the engine block. Picture below may be of some help.
Dan and Leif's direction is spot on, but I added an article from LARS who was kind enough to make it simple. I don't know what cam you have nor the advance in the distributor, but if you set the timing at 15 degrees initial mechanical, you might easily experience detonation at high load rpms. I would start at 10 degrees as Leif said. Timing can be adjusted after the engine break-in if more advance is needed. The tach connection will be in factory position when installed per Leif's photo.
Does this look better? I was confused initially and thought the rotor was supposed to be clocked/pointed at number 1 cylinder. I restabbed the distributor so the rotor was clocked to number 1 plug wire on distributor cap
...close.... Maybe it's the photo but you seem 1 tooth off
The rotor will turn clockwise as it engages the gears. You want to end up with the tip of the rotor at about 7 o'clock. It almost seems you started at 7 and ended up past it. But maybe the photo is fooling me.
I used to knock the tower out of the #1 on an old cap and just look inside....caps are too expensive for that now LOL
Eh, the more I look at it, probably just fine. You can rotate the assy to get it just right when you electrically time
Last edited by ChrisBlair; 05-06-2024 at 05:41 PM.
Red mark on distributor cap as plug#1. I transferred that mark to base of distributor in silver sharpie. I’m thinking/hoping I’m close enough.
Dampener set at 15 degrees before TDC. I verified that timing position again with engine builder just now.
He said 15 degrees was optimal for my engine. It ran great on his dyno.
Below the blue ink pen tip I put a silver sharpie mark on base of distributor. This was the middle of number 1 plug when rotor cap was on. I then aligned the distributor rotor to this mark as I was dropping the assembly in.
Did your engine builder "break in" the engine/cam by running it for 15-20 minutes at around 2000 RPM prior to giving it back to you? Is this why he is telling you to set the initial timing at 15*?
i don’t know anything about engine timing. I have a brand new motor and am dropping the distributor in. I was trying to get the cap pointed at #1 cylinder. Can someone please look at the two pictures and let me know what position would work best for the tach drive hook up. I’m not sure which way I would end up turning the distributor for adjusting the timing after I fire the motor, so wanted to know what position would work best to hook the tach up.
i have the balancer set at 15 degrees on the compression stroke per the engine builder.
again, I don’t know anything about ignition timing. Trying to learn though. Rotor pointed at about middle of valve cover Rotor pointed just passed tip of valve cover
Actually the notch on the Dist. should line up with the rotor. And the wires installed so number one wire is above the notch. And the Dist. rotates CW so advance the timing by turning the Dist CCW.
Also, I will normally set the initial timing but placing the balancer at the point I want, say 8 degrees. Then remove plug number 1, attach it to the plug wire and ground the outside of the plug. With the ignition on, I'll rotate the distributor back and forth to get a spark. At the point of spark, I stop turning and lock the distributor down. Takes a couple tries to get it just right, but in less then a minute I can have the timing set where I want it.
There are other methods, but this works for me.
I'll be doing it this way in a couple weekends when I fire up my 67 L36 for the first time.
Just e-mail me for a copy of my "How to Install your Distributor" tech paper. It has all the info needed for a correct installation and correct orientation of the distributor, complete with photos.
I think we all might be remembering the first time we yanked a distributor in a fit of exuberance... and then had little idea of what we had just done and how to put it back in I know I scratched my head at 18, looking at a grease-stained and dog-eared blurry Chilton's book.
I believe the result was my first experience with what became my tinnitus.
To the OP...Looking at the pictures of your engine compartment, Really clean and nice (-: It looks like you might be using a plastic oil gauge line? maybe just the photo but if I am correct you may want to change that to a copper line. It could save you a big mess when the plastic line fails. Big-K
Thank you for the reply! It is the original oil pressure line. However I cheated and painted it silver instead of replacing it. Probably should have gone with a cast steel instead of aluminum though. My line had surface rust on it and after scotch briting it clean, I painted it. Thank you
05-06-2024, 03:42 PM
Distributor Drop In
