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Installing dist.

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Old May 24, 2007 | 07:20 AM
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Default Installing dist.

When you get your No. 1 to TDC and install the dist. should the rotor be pointed a little to the right and No. 1 plug or staight ahead? When I got the car it's pointed a little to the left of being in the center. Did he get it a tooth off? I have heard it does'nt matter where the rotor is pointed as long as you use the place that it is to start as No. 1 plug. I want to do it right.
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Old May 24, 2007 | 07:50 AM
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drop it into place with the tach drive cable pointing toward the grommet that holds the tach cable. just insert your wires according to the firing order. use a screwdriver to turn the oil pump so that the distributor drops into the slot.
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Old May 24, 2007 | 07:58 AM
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From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
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Originally Posted by jnb5101
drop it into place with the tach drive cable pointing toward the grommet that holds the tach cable. just insert your wires according to the firing order. use a screwdriver to turn the oil pump so that the distributor drops into the slot.
also I usually set the crank at my initial timing, and the align/ center the rotor on the number 1 plug position while ensuring I have enough room to rotate the distributor to set the timing without hitting the intake
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Old May 24, 2007 | 08:05 AM
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If it drops all the way down then I point it at #1, if it does not drop all the way I point it at #5 and crank the eng with my msd box unhooked until the dist mates with the oil pump shaft, started using this method a few years ago and it is much easier than trying to get the oil pump shaft and dist to mate perfect and pointing at #1
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Old May 24, 2007 | 08:18 AM
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HEI dist. rotor point toward the #1 plug, on a points dist, rotor points toward the #2 plug . Follow sweethence advice it will be within a couple degrees on timing and it should fire right up
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Old May 24, 2007 | 09:30 AM
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I have a distributor installation paper that has photos and step-by-step instructions if you need it. E-mail me for the paper at:
V8FastCars@msn.com
Lars
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Old May 24, 2007 | 01:32 PM
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So are you stopping at the intial advance. If stopping at intial advance Where should the rotor be pointing? Or does it matter? I am putting a new dist. in. so I will have nothing to use as refrence.
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Old May 24, 2007 | 01:35 PM
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From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
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Originally Posted by Kev82vette
So are you stopping at the intial advance. If stopping at intial advance Where should the rotor be pointing? Or does it matter? I am putting a new dist. in. so I will have nothing to use as refrence.
think of it like this, say you want inital advance to be t 10* BTDC, well rotate the crank to 10* BTDC, and place the rotor centered up on the number one spark plug position, inital advance set this way you are closer coming out the gate
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Old May 24, 2007 | 01:45 PM
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Ok. That makes sense. I'm just trying to fiqure out how this all works. AT 10* BTDC you said the rotor would be pointing at No. 1 plug. Where would it be pointing if I set it at TDC?
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Old May 24, 2007 | 01:56 PM
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From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
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Originally Posted by Kev82vette
Ok. That makes sense. I'm just trying to fiqure out how this all works. AT 10* BTDC you said the rotor would be pointing at No. 1 plug. Where would it be pointing if I set it at TDC?
close, I said with the crank set at 10*BTDC place the distributor so that when it drops in it ends up pointing at the number one plug

if you had the crank at TDC and then dropped the dstributor in so its pointing at the number one plug, then your inital advance would be zero at TDC and you would have to adjust to timing while the engine is running, and depending on the motor set up it may or may not fire right away, and you would end up moving it anyway by eyeballing it, and fiddeling with it
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Old May 24, 2007 | 02:27 PM
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Even with it at 10* the rotor will be pointing to the no.1 on the cap?
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Old May 24, 2007 | 03:20 PM
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Originally Posted by Kev82vette
Even with it at 10* the rotor will be pointing to the no.1 on the cap?
it doent have to be, I am suggesting you do it that way as a time saver.

when you drop in teh distributor, ith rotor will spin and stop when it bottoms out. this is controlled by the position of teh slot in the oil pump drive shaft. One way to make sure it dops on number 1 is to get a long screwdriver. or an oil pupm primer tool and turn the oil punp shaft so that it will drop on Number one. that does not necceritly happen automatically, unless you rotated the crank so it was at numebr 1 before you took out the distributor in the first place
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Old May 24, 2007 | 03:23 PM
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remember that the pin on the distributor that you "call" number 1 can be any pin. set your dist so there aren't any sharp bends as the tach cable passes thru the firewall, and what ever pin the rotor is pointing to is "number 1". then just attach your remaining wires in a clockwise direction to the cap according to the fireing order.

Last edited by jnb5101; May 24, 2007 at 03:25 PM.
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Old May 24, 2007 | 04:14 PM
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Originally Posted by sweethence
also I usually set the crank at my initial timing, and the align/ center the rotor on the number 1 plug position while ensuring I have enough room to rotate the distributor to set the timing without hitting the intake
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Old May 25, 2007 | 07:43 AM
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I can't believe how easy it was to swap out a distributor. I had to double check myself because I thought it would be harder than it was LOL. I want to thank you all for the advice and patience. I did set it up at 10* BTDC and when I was done hit the key and it fired right up! I installed a new Accel Dist. When I timed it I noticed the timing marked still moved up and down a little bit. I think I have a intake or carb leak, I hear whistling sound coming from somewhere and my carb falls on face at idle.
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Old May 25, 2007 | 08:03 AM
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From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
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Originally Posted by jnb5101
remember that the pin on the distributor that you "call" number 1 can be any pin. set your dist so there aren't any sharp bends as the tach cable passes thru the firewall, and what ever pin the rotor is pointing to is "number 1". then just attach your remaining wires in a clockwise direction to the cap according to the fireing order.
also true, good point
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Old May 25, 2007 | 08:04 AM
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From: Wilmington DE, Drive it like you stole it, 68 327 4 speed coupe
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Originally Posted by Kev82vette
I can't believe how easy it was to swap out a distributor. I had to double check myself because I thought it would be harder than it was LOL. I want to thank you all for the advice and patience. I did set it up at 10* BTDC and when I was done hit the key and it fired right up! I installed a new Accel Dist. When I timed it I noticed the timing marked still moved up and down a little bit. I think I have a intake or carb leak, I hear whistling sound coming from somewhere and my carb falls on face at idle.
get a vaccum gauge,

a jumping needle will confrim the vac leak
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Old May 25, 2007 | 01:06 PM
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It kinda sounded like the whistle was coming from under the car. I wonder if the modulator on the trans or the vaccum line to it is leaking? It sounded like it almost went away when i put it in drive. I wonder if that would affect my carb if it was leaking?
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Old May 25, 2007 | 01:17 PM
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I did and it did move. The funny thing was i put a new pvc valve in and the gauge calmed down and after a few minutes it started going again. I still can't explain that one.
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Old May 25, 2007 | 01:41 PM
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What is your vacuum reading at idle?Are you sure your timing is not retarded?Is the needle on the vac. gage flicking around if so how much?
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