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Hi all,
Trying to set timing on my 71 LT (w/o points). In order to get 8% BTDC at idle I have to rotate the distributor so far CC that the vacuum port hits the ignition shield support. There's no way I could reconnect the vacuum line in this orientation. I'm guessing there is a way to reset the the relationship between the vac cannister/distributer body and the distributer drive?
IF I recall back when I had points, that looks pretty close to where it should be. Try just bending the wire bracket out a little. Over time these things get messed up.
It’s possible that someone has been in the distributor, removed the gear on the bottom, and replaced it 180 out. Also possible that when/if the distributor was out, it was clocked one tooth out. My two most likely scenarios.
Edited post to note no points. Moving bracket enough to accomodate vac can will not allow reinstallation of shielding.
Originally Posted by kanvasman
IF I recall back when I had points, that looks pretty close to where it should be. Try just bending the wire bracket out a little. Over time these things get messed up.
Could be, assuming the one above his points window is #1 as my #1 is positioned 1 CC from that. Might explain my lack of perceived power since I bought the car. (And why I can't get a stable timing setting at idle.) I thought it might be timing related so I just did timing gears replacing the originals and trying to establish a baseline. Would be an awesome fix!
Originally Posted by barkingrats
Note the wire placement on your cap vs. Alan 71's (correct placement). I believe you need to position each wire one tower clockwise.
you can see the mismash of wires. Coil lead was burnt out. Waiting on new wires but I might just pilfer a coil lead just to try moving all the leads down the ladder!
From: I tend to be leery of any guy who doesn't own a chainsaw or a handgun.
Originally Posted by barkingrats
Note the wire placement on your cap vs. Alan 71's (correct placement). I believe you need to position each wire one tower clockwise.
Respectfully, after rotating the distributor body clockwise to get the VA canister nipple rearward of the shielding bracket, I believe the wires need to be moved one tower counter-clockwise to retain the current rotor-to-plugwire clocking/timing.
I welcome correction if I'm understanding the situation incorrectly.
Yeah that's where mine is too.Like Kanvasman said probably can tweak the bracket enough.When I set the timing I always disconnect the hose at the carb and plug the port there rather than taking it off at the advance cause it is tight.I was going to clock the distributor like your talking about when I put a new tach drive cable on thinking it would straighten the tach cable out, less bend but what happened it made for a sharper bend at the distributor so I put it back.I should say though I am using the 90 degree adapter at the distributor and the tach cable is the 24 inch one which is longer than the original.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Your distributor is simply not installed correctly. It doesn't matter if it has points in it or not - the trigger mechanism is irrelevant. If you want to install it correctly, the way Alan shows, simply send me an e-mail for my distributor installation paper. This will allow it to be timed with all the shielding correctly installed. No problem.
Lars V8FastCars@msn.com
The distributor rotor rotates about 2" when sliding it back in, due to the slanted teeth on the cam.
And reverse when it comes out.
It almost always rotates the oil pump shaft slightly on removal.
Requiring use of a long screwdriver to adjust the oil pump shaft slightly, so everything slides home the way it was before removal.
Failure to adjust the oil pump shaft usually means the distributor winds up rotating itself about an inch, into the wrong position.
My tip is to use tape & sharpie to mark the alignment position of both the rotor, and the vacuum can, before removal, and how much the rotor rotates during removal.
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
You do not need to use a screwdriver. You use the technique outlined in my paper of "walking the distributor," which eliminates any need to align the oil pump shaft or use a screwdriver.
I have never tried that, or tried moving the crank while inserting the distrib.
In the engine shop, we always just used a screwdriver.
I like it tho. If you are just a little bit off, it does sound much easier and quicker.
Reclocking the distributer?
