trying to remove the HEI cap
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
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Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
It's been a while but I think I used a swivel on my 1/4" socket set.
BTW, you will not need to reset base timine when removing the dist cap, only possibly after removing the dist.
BTW, you will not need to reset base timine when removing the dist cap, only possibly after removing the dist.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 3,065
Likes: 39
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 413
Likes: 2
From: Carencro LA
Yea, after I looked at it, that's what I decided to do. Just got back from o'reillys to get a dist wrench. They had never heard of it! Found it on the tool rack myself. what wire do you disconnect to set the timing?
Team Owner
Joined: Dec 2000
Posts: 90,675
Likes: 304
From: SE NY
Cruise-In II Veteran
When pulling the dist I use three marks to assure ease of assembly:
-mark on the intake base where the dist base is pointing
-mark on the dist base where the rotor is pointing, before extraction
-mark on the dist base where the rotor is pointing, after lifting from the gear
-mark on the intake base where the dist base is pointing
-mark on the dist base where the rotor is pointing, before extraction
-mark on the dist base where the rotor is pointing, after lifting from the gear
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Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 3,752
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From: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
If the engine is clean you can just use a permanent marker pen.
Then you will not need to check the timing, that is if you are not removing the distributor. Otherwise you will need to mark the rotor button to distributor also, you just need to remove and replace the cap so marking the distributor position close to the hold down bolt will work fine.
I usually just use a 9/16 open end spanner to loosen the distributor hold down bolt, to access all the cap screws and remove the distributor cap.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
The op is just trying to remove the cap. Using a universal or a flex handle will do the job. To loosen the distributor doesn't make sense. The distributor can be marked from now to Sunday and there is a good chance the timing will be off a degree or two after eyeballing the marks. The movement of the distributor is nearly unnoticable for the timing to change a couple of degrees. For some, that may be important, but for others, it can be a big deal.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,082
Likes: 3
From: Conowingo Maryland
The op is just trying to remove the cap. Using a universal or a flex handle will do the job. To loosen the distributor doesn't make sense. The distributor can be marked from now to Sunday and there is a good chance the timing will be off a degree or two after eyeballing the marks. The movement of the distributor is nearly unnoticable for the timing to change a couple of degrees. For some, that may be important, but for others, it can be a big deal.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 413
Likes: 2
From: Carencro LA
I used a sharpy to mark where number 1 lined up to the plenum. Changed the cap, rotor, wires, and plugs. Flipped the key and she started quicker than the 5 years I've owned it. Now I need to set the timing, I've located the brown wire with the black stripe, now I need to clean up the timing marks, and mark the harmonic balancer.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
The op is just trying to remove the cap. Using a universal or a flex handle will do the job. To loosen the distributor doesn't make sense. The distributor can be marked from now to Sunday and there is a good chance the timing will be off a degree or two after eyeballing the marks. The movement of the distributor is nearly unnoticable for the timing to change a couple of degrees. For some, that may be important, but for others, it can be a big deal.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,409
Likes: 44
From: NC
I don't know if the 87 has the same cap as the 89, but I just used one of my socketed screw drivers without a bit installed, takes a little work to push the rubber back that hangs over the very back of the distributor but you'll get it.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2013
Posts: 1,952
Likes: 239
From: Venice Cali.
3 C4's with HEI and I never moved a distributor once to pull the cap.