Distributor Drop in/ Align Ques
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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Distributor Drop in/ Align Ques
Dropped my MSD HEI in today to fire up the engine with the Victor Jr manifold, but it doesn't look like it sits quite right. I wasn't quite sure about the rotor location so I started from ground zero. I had a friend tap the starter with my finger over the #1 cylinder plug hole until the air blew it off. The mark on the balancer was around 4 BTDC so I turned it by hand to 0 degrees. I marked the #1 plug terminal position on the base of the dist housing. The plastic battery and tach terminal is 90 degrees to the front of the car. So far so good right? But I can't get the rotor to aim directly at the mark?! It points about 3/8" counterclockwise of it. If I pull it out and turn it a bit clockwise, it won't slide in till the rotor faces the carb. So is this normal? I remember the rotor sitting right at the mark before. 
Last edited by enkeivette; Mar 11, 2006 at 09:30 PM.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2004
Posts: 10,628
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From: Duvall, WA
Is the oil pump shaft the problem? You can stick a long screwdriver into the engine into the drive shaft and turn it so it will align properly with the pin in your distributor shaft. I'm having trouble following your description which is no doubt my fault (the wine's flowing already).
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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Likes: 3
Originally Posted by rcread
Is the oil pump shaft the problem? You can stick a long screwdriver into the engine into the drive shaft and turn it so it will align properly with the pin in your distributor shaft. I'm having trouble following your description which is no doubt my fault (the wine's flowing already).
Safety Car
Joined: Oct 2004
Posts: 3,725
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From: Minnesota
Originally Posted by chris75stingray
could the drive gear be on upside down ?
The dist. wont go in all the way when you do that. It could be that the gear is 180 degrees off. If I recall correctly there should be a dimple on the gear that should point the same direction as the rotor.
Last edited by jdmick; Mar 11, 2006 at 09:42 PM.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 2,412
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Originally Posted by jdmick
You may have to pop the dist. back out and reinstall one tooth over.
Originally Posted by MotorHead
So turn the base of the distributor till the rotor points straight at it
Originally Posted by chris75stingray
could the drive gear be on upside down ?
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2000
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From: Who says "Nothing is impossible" ? I've been doing nothing for years.
NO it won't run with the rotor pointed straight at the number one tower, don't forget you have to be 8-10 deg, who knows I am 15 degrees advanced at idle.
THat means by the time the timing mark gets to 0 the rotor will have already been at the number 1 tower and passed it by maybe 3/8 of an inch
THat means by the time the timing mark gets to 0 the rotor will have already been at the number 1 tower and passed it by maybe 3/8 of an inch
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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Originally Posted by MotorHead
NO it won't run with the rotor pointed straight at the number one tower, don't forget you have to be 8-10 deg, who knows I am 15 degrees advanced at idle.
THat means by the time the timing mark gets to 0 the rotor will have already been at the number 1 tower and passed it by maybe 3/8 of an inch
THat means by the time the timing mark gets to 0 the rotor will have already been at the number 1 tower and passed it by maybe 3/8 of an inch
Wait... ok, I'm gonna move the dist clockwise a bit and report back.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
Likes: 27
From: Boca Raton Florida
So stop guessing and put a timing light on it. Dial it in and your good to go. Indexing the dist like you did is only going to get you in the zip code. Borrow or buy a timing light
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 9,192
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From: Boca Raton Florida
The dist will slip in and be off 1 tooth one way or the other and you might still be able to adjust the timing correctly. If you think it is off by a tooth and want it spot on, pop the dist out of the hols and turn the oil pump shaft a bit with a screwdriver and drop the dist back in, problem solved. Always confuses me which way to turn it, have had to do it twice to get it right.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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Originally Posted by SIXFOOTER
The dist will slip in and be off 1 tooth one way or the other and you might still be able to adjust the timing correctly. If you think it is off by a tooth and want it spot on, pop the dist out of the hols and turn the oil pump shaft a bit with a screwdriver and drop the dist back in, problem solved. Always confuses me which way to turn it, have had to do it twice to get it right.
Originally Posted by rcread
Yes, it doesn't matter whether the distributor is off a tooth. It will just be oriented a little differently under the hood.
Race Director
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From: Duvall, WA
Originally Posted by torqvette
Actually, I'm pretty sure that it does matter.
There is really no such thing as one tooth off. The engine fires exactly every 45* evenly. You can drop the distributor in and point the rotor anywhere you want. When you put the motor to TDC #1 and drop the distributor in, where ever it points is where the #1 wire will go. Period. The whole point it at #1 cylinder was so every motor that came off the assembly line was exactly the same.
Take a look at this. I think it might help...
https://www.corvetteforum.com/techti...=107&TopicID=3
Last edited by rcread; Mar 12, 2006 at 08:24 AM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 474
Likes: 127
From: Stafford Virginia
You right on it doesn't matter but sometimes the limits of wiring harnesses and other things do limit this. You may be a tooth off and not be able to actually set the right timing....plus it makes setting the timing more of a chore as the marks don't line up.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2004
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OK guys, I'm not having any luck here. Thought that I had the dist install technique down pat... guess not. The motor will just not run, it will fire then die, it backfires through the carb, and it will even diesel. That's a first. I took some pics. Help me out.
Notice the water on my fender... that's right. I was doing this in the rain with a broken arm. Feel bad for me!
This pic was taken with the balancer at 2 degrees BTDC as shown below.
I've double checked to make sure that the #1 piston was on the compression stroke and I've also double checked plug wire location.
I also read Lars' article in the link above and set the #1 piston at 8 BTDC, aligned the rotor with the mark and tried firing it up with no luck.
Notice the water on my fender... that's right. I was doing this in the rain with a broken arm. Feel bad for me!
This pic was taken with the balancer at 2 degrees BTDC as shown below.
I've double checked to make sure that the #1 piston was on the compression stroke and I've also double checked plug wire location.
I also read Lars' article in the link above and set the #1 piston at 8 BTDC, aligned the rotor with the mark and tried firing it up with no luck.
Last edited by enkeivette; Mar 12, 2006 at 10:25 PM.
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 474
Likes: 127
From: Stafford Virginia
Well I can only give information form my recent experience. On a 1982 with my TDC mark just about where yours is the rotor was pointing towards the front of the motor, almost dead on. That is where my #1 plug wire would be IF the distributor base is aligned on the factory marks.