Yikes ! Distributor cap moving !!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,472
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From: Toronto ONTARIO
Yikes ! Distributor cap moving !!
was replacing a burnt wire and was putting the plug on the distributor cap and its moving 
I'm not very familiar with distributors so how would i set it? I did notice in the dfi that the timing was off, this is probably why. I do have timing marks on the balancer but the camber brace is in the way atm, i hope i don't have to remove it because i just got it aligned.
Help !!
I'm not very familiar with distributors so how would i set it? I did notice in the dfi that the timing was off, this is probably why. I do have timing marks on the balancer but the camber brace is in the way atm, i hope i don't have to remove it because i just got it aligned.
Help !!
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
I can read my timing mark with the camberbrace on.
The distributor has a hold down clamp with a 9/16" bolt. You may need a bent combination wrench or a distributor wrench (offset box wrench) to get to it.
The distributor has a hold down clamp with a 9/16" bolt. You may need a bent combination wrench or a distributor wrench (offset box wrench) to get to it.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,472
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From: Toronto ONTARIO
it looks like the cap and the aluminum base is moving. By my best guess.. the rotor is attached to the drive gear that is on the cam? so maybe that isn't moving? It's an accel dual sync. I can see the screws holding the red part to the aluminum base part and they look tight. I had my intake done by LT1intake.com and it included a hold down bolt with a plate. That bolt is loose.
Is the rotor aligned for timing and not the cap ? I'm sort of pissed off the shoppe who built it for me has been brushing me off for 2 weeks now even though theres many small problems that need to be taken care of
I don't have a clue where to set it and tighten the bolt.. or even if that is all that needs to be done. should i remove the cap to see if the rotor is moving ? I did spin the motor to 7900 rpm a few times the night before and am guessing it shook the distributor up. I am not familiar with these so can someone also explain to me what holds the distributor in place? When i first dropped in the dual sync i noticed there was slight wiggle room and it wasn't a perfect fit. I'm worried...
Is the rotor aligned for timing and not the cap ? I'm sort of pissed off the shoppe who built it for me has been brushing me off for 2 weeks now even though theres many small problems that need to be taken care of
I don't have a clue where to set it and tighten the bolt.. or even if that is all that needs to be done. should i remove the cap to see if the rotor is moving ? I did spin the motor to 7900 rpm a few times the night before and am guessing it shook the distributor up. I am not familiar with these so can someone also explain to me what holds the distributor in place? When i first dropped in the dual sync i noticed there was slight wiggle room and it wasn't a perfect fit. I'm worried...
Last edited by DieL; Jul 14, 2006 at 12:41 AM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,472
Likes: 0
From: Toronto ONTARIO
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
I can read my timing mark with the camberbrace on.
The distributor has a hold down clamp with a 9/16" bolt. You may need a bent combination wrench or a distributor wrench (offset box wrench) to get to it.
The distributor has a hold down clamp with a 9/16" bolt. You may need a bent combination wrench or a distributor wrench (offset box wrench) to get to it.
Team Owner
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 24,337
Likes: 25
From: San Diego , CA Double Yellow DirtBags 1985..Z51..6-speed
See the plastic covering the wire harness hookup to the coil cover up top?
Align it so that points towards the drivers side of the car, (the 3 oclock position, if the nose of the car is at 6 oclock)
This will be plenty close to drive it. Now get a timing light, and see where you're at on the timing tab. Notice the timing tab markings before you fire it up, the deepest V is 0 degrees. Counterclockwise towards the left is before TDC. The peaks are at 4*, 8*, 12*.
Advance timing by rotating the distributor slowly counterclockwise. Clockwise retards it. I don't know what your base timing should be, maybe 8 degrees.
Don't worry about the cam gear, all is fine. The distributor housing is supposed to rotate when you adjust timing.
I had the distributor come loose on my Ford once, like an idiot I didn't find out for 2 years. It was 20* tdc when I checked it finally, and I'm guessing was moving around all over the place, only being held in place by the electrical harness.
Align it so that points towards the drivers side of the car, (the 3 oclock position, if the nose of the car is at 6 oclock)
This will be plenty close to drive it. Now get a timing light, and see where you're at on the timing tab. Notice the timing tab markings before you fire it up, the deepest V is 0 degrees. Counterclockwise towards the left is before TDC. The peaks are at 4*, 8*, 12*.
Advance timing by rotating the distributor slowly counterclockwise. Clockwise retards it. I don't know what your base timing should be, maybe 8 degrees.
Don't worry about the cam gear, all is fine. The distributor housing is supposed to rotate when you adjust timing.
I had the distributor come loose on my Ford once, like an idiot I didn't find out for 2 years. It was 20* tdc when I checked it finally, and I'm guessing was moving around all over the place, only being held in place by the electrical harness.
Last edited by CentralCoaster; Jul 14, 2006 at 01:54 AM.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,525
Likes: 2
From: Houston TX
Originally Posted by CentralCoaster
Now get a timing light, and see where you're at on the timing tab. Notice the timing tab markings before you fire it up, the deepest V is 0 degrees. Counterclockwise towards the left is before TDC. The peaks are at 4*, 8*, 12*.
Advance timing by rotating the distributor slowly counterclockwise. Clockwise retards it. I don't know what your base timing should be, maybe 8 degrees.
Advance timing by rotating the distributor slowly counterclockwise. Clockwise retards it. I don't know what your base timing should be, maybe 8 degrees.
I may be way off, but that dual sync distributor threw a flag for me. What ECM are you running? If stock ECM, then all of this means nothing.
Aaron
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
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From: Toronto ONTARIO
Aaron it is a dual sync and a gen 7 ecu. Its not a piggy back but a standalone.. the stock ecu and wiring completely removed. I'll get a pic up of what im looking at .. brb
Sigh took pictures but photobucket is down for a bit. Does turning the cap affect timing? Im guessing the rotor itself is not rotating because its being held in place by the gear drive. the cap and base as a whole is rotating as far as it wants. I have a general idea where it originally was.
im guessing as long as the rotor is in the correct positon.. wouldn;t the spark from it jump to the nearest terminal anyways? so if its in range of the right terminal a few degrees left or right wouldn't make a difference? lol don't laugh at me
Sigh took pictures but photobucket is down for a bit. Does turning the cap affect timing? Im guessing the rotor itself is not rotating because its being held in place by the gear drive. the cap and base as a whole is rotating as far as it wants. I have a general idea where it originally was.
im guessing as long as the rotor is in the correct positon.. wouldn;t the spark from it jump to the nearest terminal anyways? so if its in range of the right terminal a few degrees left or right wouldn't make a difference? lol don't laugh at me
Last edited by DieL; Jul 14, 2006 at 01:21 PM.
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Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,472
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From: Toronto ONTARIO
Ok so the cap does affect timing.. here's a pic of what I'm talking about...
The entire distributor that is visible moves as 1 piece left and right. that hold down bolt is loose as well. Im guessing the vibrations loosened it. What in the world prevents this thing from moving left/right even when that piece is tightened down ?? I'm thinking to use a lock washer and threadlock on it
The entire distributor that is visible moves as 1 piece left and right. that hold down bolt is loose as well. Im guessing the vibrations loosened it. What in the world prevents this thing from moving left/right even when that piece is tightened down ?? I'm thinking to use a lock washer and threadlock on it
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2001
Posts: 3,525
Likes: 2
From: Houston TX
I was thinking with the dual sync that you were DFI or FAST. Again, the setpoint tends to be at 50°. You will need to have a marked dampner to measure and a timing light to measure. I would not go "playing" until I had the timing properly set.
That looks like a "mickey mouse" hold down. Go to Jegs/Summit and buy one of their billet units with stud and lockwaher/nut. It wont move again, until you loosen it.
Aaron
That looks like a "mickey mouse" hold down. Go to Jegs/Summit and buy one of their billet units with stud and lockwaher/nut. It wont move again, until you loosen it.
Aaron
Intermediate
Joined: Nov 2005
Posts: 49
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From: Corpus Christi TX
Do you still have the original distributer hold down?
Some of those billet/chrome hold downs are worthless POS's.
The original one works alot better than most aftermarket ones IMO.
Just take a spray bomb of black paint to hide it or whatever color you want and you got good looking holdown!
Some of those billet/chrome hold downs are worthless POS's.
The original one works alot better than most aftermarket ones IMO.
Just take a spray bomb of black paint to hide it or whatever color you want and you got good looking holdown!
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2000
Posts: 17,298
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From: The Top of Utah
Originally Posted by DieL
Ok so the cap does affect timing.. here's a pic of what I'm talking about...
Originally Posted by DieL
The entire distributor that is visible moves as 1 piece left and right. that hold down bolt is loose as well. Im guessing the vibrations loosened it. What in the world prevents this thing from moving left/right even when that piece is tightened down ??
Through the shaft, distributor gears and timing chain (or gears), the rotor is linked to the crankshaft. The spark DOES jump to the nearest cap terminal, but where that terminal happens to be is how you set the timing. Imagine if the case (body) and cap turn far enough, the rotor will be closest to the wrong terminal in the cap. Then the wrong cylinder will fire.
RACE ON!!!
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,472
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From: Toronto ONTARIO
This sucks. I have a heavy duty mezziere and a camber brace thats in the way of the damper and the timing marker. Have to remove the camber brace now and it'll probably throw my alignment off that i just had done 
Thanks for the input. Getting this sorted out tonight.
Thanks for the input. Getting this sorted out tonight.
Team Owner
Joined: Jun 2005
Posts: 46,295
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From: Northern, VA
St. Jude Donor '15
"In honor of jpee"
Originally Posted by DieL
was replacing a burnt wire and was putting the plug on the distributor cap and its moving
I'm not very familiar with distributors so how would i set it? I did notice in the dfi that the timing was off, this is probably why. I do have timing marks on the balancer but the camber brace is in the way atm, i hope i don't have to remove it because i just got it aligned.
Help !!
I'm not very familiar with distributors so how would i set it? I did notice in the dfi that the timing was off, this is probably why. I do have timing marks on the balancer but the camber brace is in the way atm, i hope i don't have to remove it because i just got it aligned.
Help !!
Woops, STL you beat me to the posting!
Last edited by AORoads; Jul 14, 2006 at 11:10 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Mar 2003
Posts: 2,472
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From: Toronto ONTARIO
Originally Posted by tpiini
I'm sorry. Did I read right? you spun your engine to 7,900 RPM a few times? (!)
7850 is what i set it at to be exact ! Appreciate the help guys. I removed the camber brace and drove her up to the shop and set the timing with the light and tighened the bolt down with an added lock washer. been a few days and so far so good. I had it fairly close when i drove up tp the shoppe and we found it was 6 degrees retarded. funny thing is it droe very very smooth at that setting even chugging in 6th gear at lower speeds. I pulled out timing at lower rpms and part throttle after we set the timing and she drives better now 
About the camber brace.. i thought it would have changed the alignment because when its retightened it pulls the frame horns together. I guessed it would have changed because they flexed. Installing it a 2nd time was super easy and i tightened it in the same rder as i removed it. Wheel is still straight as an arrow
