Distributor/tachometer cable connection question
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 878
Likes: 60
From: Minneapolis, MN USA
Distributor/tachometer cable connection question
Hi all -
Trying desparately to get my 1970 small block L46 back on the road. Just had the motor and xmission rebuilt and trying to get it all put back together. The motor builder said he thought he had the distributor installed in the correct position, etc. (he does know what he's doing). Problem I'm having is the connection for the tachometer cable is currently pointing straight back to the firewall. That angle makes it such that I can't really get the tach cable inserted and the nut on, there's just too much strain/bend on the cable. Now, if I loosen the distributor hold down bolt, I can obviously rotate that connection towards the driver side and then should be much easier to connect the cable. But...if i do that, will I throw the timing WAY off? When he says he has it in the right position, does that just mean the right gear-tooth engagement? He didn't run the motor, so he couldn't know if the fine tuning was right or not, right? Or, if I turn it so that I can get the cable attached, am I at risk that the proper tuning/timing will require me to turn it back so that it's pointing at the firewall and putting lots of strain on that cable? Sorry for the dumb question - hope it makes sense?
Ok, one more dumb question...is there supposed to be any grease/lube in that connection where the cable attaches to the distributor?
Thanks for your time - stay healthy!
Trying desparately to get my 1970 small block L46 back on the road. Just had the motor and xmission rebuilt and trying to get it all put back together. The motor builder said he thought he had the distributor installed in the correct position, etc. (he does know what he's doing). Problem I'm having is the connection for the tachometer cable is currently pointing straight back to the firewall. That angle makes it such that I can't really get the tach cable inserted and the nut on, there's just too much strain/bend on the cable. Now, if I loosen the distributor hold down bolt, I can obviously rotate that connection towards the driver side and then should be much easier to connect the cable. But...if i do that, will I throw the timing WAY off? When he says he has it in the right position, does that just mean the right gear-tooth engagement? He didn't run the motor, so he couldn't know if the fine tuning was right or not, right? Or, if I turn it so that I can get the cable attached, am I at risk that the proper tuning/timing will require me to turn it back so that it's pointing at the firewall and putting lots of strain on that cable? Sorry for the dumb question - hope it makes sense?
Ok, one more dumb question...is there supposed to be any grease/lube in that connection where the cable attaches to the distributor?
Thanks for your time - stay healthy!
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2020
Posts: 881
Likes: 113
^^^ THIS ^^^
assuming your guy installed dist set timing to start & run well enough. It isn't "clocked" properly to align w/ your cable.
Go find or get a plain schoolboy plastic protractor; < $2 at walmart.
distributor's rotor turns CW and its 8 plug wire terminals spaced an equidistant 45* apart.
tape protractor to top of dist then loosen dist clamp bolt.
Rotate dist CCW exactly 45* and see if cable aligns well. if it does, tighten bolt & move (clock) ALL plug wires ONE position in CW direction.
if you rotate dist CCW, you then reclock wires CW and vice versa
assuming your guy installed dist set timing to start & run well enough. It isn't "clocked" properly to align w/ your cable.
Go find or get a plain schoolboy plastic protractor; < $2 at walmart.
distributor's rotor turns CW and its 8 plug wire terminals spaced an equidistant 45* apart.
tape protractor to top of dist then loosen dist clamp bolt.
Rotate dist CCW exactly 45* and see if cable aligns well. if it does, tighten bolt & move (clock) ALL plug wires ONE position in CW direction.
if you rotate dist CCW, you then reclock wires CW and vice versa
