Distributor alignment
Thread Starter
Banned Scam/Spammer
Joined: Jun 2006
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From: Monroe Washington
Distributor alignment
How do you properly align the distributor so that it is square with the engine? What I am trying to do is line up the dist so that the plug wires are purpendicular to the engine.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2008
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From: Stratford Ontario
Im not sure that I am following totally what you are asking but Im assuming you want to change the position where the #1 and so on are positioned on dist. Do a search for clocking dist. and you will find good info how to move firing order forward or backward from position its at.
Team Owner
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From: Southbound
Cruise-In II Veteran
Stock distributors and intake manifolds have factory stake marks for alignment purposes. AIM shows how to do it since distributors were installed on the engine dress line.
Bring #1 to TDC on the compression stroke. Lower distributor and align the stake marks. Set the timing.
AIM also shows correct spark wire routing, but I can't say whether that will meet your definition of "perpendicular."
Bring #1 to TDC on the compression stroke. Lower distributor and align the stake marks. Set the timing.
AIM also shows correct spark wire routing, but I can't say whether that will meet your definition of "perpendicular."
Race Director
Joined: Jul 2001
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Not to start another fight, but it really helps when people mention the year and egine type of their car and whether it's stock or not.
Pre-'75 Corvette dizzys are not aligned with the motor or have perpendicular anythings...............
Pre-'75 Corvette dizzys are not aligned with the motor or have perpendicular anythings...............
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: lewisburg wv
[QUOTE=alyle5864;1578252388]How do you properly align the distributor so that it is square with the engine? What I am trying to do is line up the dist so that the plug wires are purpendicular to the engine.[/QUOTE Assuming you have a HEI dist., move the #1 plug wire to the #8 pos. and so on until #2 is where #1 started. (Moving all wires clockwise 1 post) Now retime the engine and the dist sides should be close to square with the firewall & engine.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
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From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
I'm thinking the OP saw one of those nice caps that neatly routes the wires out either side of the distributor.
If so, this is about buying a cap that has those types connections - not about clocking the distributor. Something like this one:
If I'm off-base, then a little more clarity would be good
If so, this is about buying a cap that has those types connections - not about clocking the distributor. Something like this one:
If I'm off-base, then a little more clarity would be good
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2006
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From: Florida
For what it's worth to you, here is the proper position of the hei.
#1 wire is the closest and furthest left.
These are the factory stake marks.
The main purpose to position both the hei and the points dist was to allow timing room for the vacuum advance can.
#1 wire is the closest and furthest left.
These are the factory stake marks.
The main purpose to position both the hei and the points dist was to allow timing room for the vacuum advance can.
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Race Director
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From: Dayton, Ohio
The way I read the OPs post is that he has the dist in,and timed,but the dist is not sitting square like Noonies pic and he wants to know how to get it in that position without getting it out of time.
Could be wrong but I was waiting for him to confirm thats what he wants,and also to confirm how far off the dist is from square.
Could be wrong but I was waiting for him to confirm thats what he wants,and also to confirm how far off the dist is from square.
Thread Starter
Banned Scam/Spammer
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From: Monroe Washington
This is what it looks like. I was hoping to be able to set the dist. so that the plug wires were symmetrical. As you can see the dist is rotated ccw slightly not allowing this.
BEFORE anyone says, that's a corrected GM cap, the wires are correct.
BEFORE anyone says, that's a corrected GM cap, the wires are correct.
Race Director
Joined: May 2006
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Hmmm , Interesting cap , I've heard of them but never looked inside to see how they are constructed. My choice using the factory cap would be to do as Noonie says and lift the dist and rotate 1 tooth clockwise to keep the wires in the correct location in the cap.
Noonie,with this type of cap could he just move the plug wires around 1 spot or do they have to stay in their present locations ?
EDIT - To alyle5864 , that would be a big NO on moving just the wires.
Noonie,with this type of cap could he just move the plug wires around 1 spot or do they have to stay in their present locations ?
EDIT - To alyle5864 , that would be a big NO on moving just the wires.
Last edited by ...Roger...; Jul 29, 2011 at 11:52 AM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 6,231
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From: Seattle WA
St. Jude Donor '14
The picture I posted was HEI, but the cap I was thinking about was for non HEI where it's a bit more of a rat's nest.
Since it's HEI, noonie's approach is right on - moving the distributor 1 tooth at a time until the wires are where they're wanted and the timing is right. Can't just move the wires, as that would change the timing...
Since it's HEI, noonie's approach is right on - moving the distributor 1 tooth at a time until the wires are where they're wanted and the timing is right. Can't just move the wires, as that would change the timing...
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: lewisburg wv
What kind of cap do you have? Is there a type of internal wiring to have the firing order come out the way it does? It really looks good.
Race Director
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From: Dayton, Ohio
Billa
That's what I thought after looking at the pic of the cap a little more but I still can't wrap my brain around how the cap is made.
Inside the cap at the rotor it has to be 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 and then outside its 1-3-5-7-2-4-6-8 ???
I need a drink.
That's what I thought after looking at the pic of the cap a little more but I still can't wrap my brain around how the cap is made.
Inside the cap at the rotor it has to be 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 and then outside its 1-3-5-7-2-4-6-8 ???
I need a drink.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2011
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From: lewisburg wv
I know what you mean. I even checked online to see if anyone made a SBC cam with a different firing order.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2011
Posts: 816
Likes: 11
From: lewisburg wv
Last edited by pawpaws toy; Jul 29, 2011 at 10:54 AM.
Race Director
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From: Florida
These caps were made by Accel and available in 4 or 5 colors.
Somewhere I had a pic of a transparent demo cap. They are made with brass traces like little bussbars molded in the plastic to reroute the terminals. Initially they had some problems with crossfire, don't know if that was corrected or not, I assume so.
There were also a bunch of different firing order cams, but really nothing to do with a cap.
The correct way to set the dist is with the gears, not only for the vac can,but also for premade wires to fit for length.
Somewhere I had a pic of a transparent demo cap. They are made with brass traces like little bussbars molded in the plastic to reroute the terminals. Initially they had some problems with crossfire, don't know if that was corrected or not, I assume so.
There were also a bunch of different firing order cams, but really nothing to do with a cap.
The correct way to set the dist is with the gears, not only for the vac can,but also for premade wires to fit for length.
Race Director
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Putting the 'magic cap' aside, as others have said the correct way of orienting the distributor body to the engine is to remove the cap and mark the relative position of the rotor to the body. Remove the distributor, turn the oil pump shaft clockwise by the desired amount then drop the dizzy back taking into account the helical drive gear.
The rotor and body must end up in the same relative position as when you started. Set final timing using a light and secure the distributor.
The rotor and body must end up in the same relative position as when you started. Set final timing using a light and secure the distributor.