I finally got back to work on my project car and need a helping hand. I am building an 87 that someone else took apart. The intake is in and I am up to installing the distributor. It was not marked when taken apart. So, I know # 1 needs to be TDC, and the book shows the general direction the rotor needs to point, but what else do I need to know here???? Any help would be appreciated

 

Not much, if you're sure you have #1 up to TDC on the compression stroke, locate #1 on the dist. cap, the oil pump shaft coming up needs to align with the dist. shaft, just take a long flat screw driver and turn the oil pump shaft to help align it, then drop the dist. in with the rotor pointing to #1 on the cap, may take a couple tries. Don't forget to disconnect the EST wire when you time it.

 

Rick gave you the good stuff above! Just remember the distributor shaft is turning clockwise as the rotor button approaches the #1 wire location on the distributor cap. The spark or firing will occur before the rotor and distributor are in perfiect alignment due to the width of the rotor contact. Compensate for this in your alignment of the dist shaft. Also, make sure the flange on the distributor is touching the intake. If there is a space of about 1/4 inch, the oil pump shaft is not oriented with the slot in the distributor. Use the long screwdriver as Rick mentioned.

How did you verify that you have #1 at TDC and on the compression stroke? When you have #1 at TDC, you also have #6 at TDC too. One of these is in compression (for ignition) and the other is completing the exhaust and starting the intake cycle. You have to know which is in compression to properly align the distributor.

If you need more help on this, please post.

 

i havent set it to TDC yet. I put the heads on, and the rockers and the intake. so I have to set it to tdc and verify, then do the distributor, and finish the assembly

 

gonna try and do it tomorrow afternoon

 

#1 TDC on the compression, use the harmonic balancer as a refernce, just have to make sure it is compression stroke, remove plug hold your finger in there you will feel it while somone turns the motor over by hand, then install distributor and make sure it is pointing to #1, you should be good.

 

Yeah, not a real difficult procedure, but can be aggrevating. You can manually turn the crankshaft to get #1 cylinder to TDC. Once that is done, the description above is good. When droping the dist in, I found it good to point the rotor at/around #3 cylinder, because the shaft will turn once it gets in the cam gear. That should have the rotor pointing at #1.

Also the way the rotor points will be the same orientation of the dist shaft. So, the oil pump slot will need to be turned a little to #3 as well. Difficult to describe in words. It might take you a few tries. Make sure the dist gasket is on before setting it down and as stated make sure it fits down on the intake manifold flushly (is that a word?).

Then put the hold down bolt in and tighten loosely, so you are still able to turn the cap with a little effort. Disconnect the EST connector and start the engine (it will set a code 42). Connect the timing light to # spark plug and point the light at the balancer mark. Set at 6* BTDC for starters and tighten the hold down bolt snug. Recheck the timing to make sure it didn't move and reconnect the EST. Disconnect the neg battery cable for ~30 seconds to reset the ECM and reconnect and start the engine. Now if you look with the timing light, the mark will be at about the 12 o'clock position or 22*.

 

RRT: Shouldn't the #3 above be #2 cylinder? I think your finger hit the wrong key on the board.

 

Yea, I think #2 is just before #1; in any case drop the dist in with the rotor pointing about 45deg CCW of where you want it to be when the dist is bolted down.

 

thanks for the help. Im going to mess with it in a few minutes.......

 

Well, My95.......how did the installation go for you! Hope you got 'er done

 

I put it in and adjusted half of the valves, something just didnt seem right, I was having a bad day so I stopped. If i was doing anything wrong I didnt want to make it worse

 

If you need "fatherly" advice on the valves......we are only a few keystokes away. I have experienced the same as you mention in the above post. You made a wise decision!

 

When doing valves....if all seems terribly wrong, You are wise to stop and then try again the next day when your Brain is firing on all 8

Adjusted the valves 180° out one time......it was ugly.....new Heads needed.

That's all I go to say 'bout that

 

next shot may be saturday. I am just starting a 36 hour shift so I have to see if my brain is working on Saturday or not.....