So: 84'
dist position has been compromised.
I watched the videos of the dudes doing a dist install, finding TDC etc etc
The guy said a shortcut to finding the sync between oil pump and dist shaft is to just crack while dist is sitting on top, and let it go 'cathunk' down into the hole.
I did this.
It seems there's only one position the dist can BE in, and go down all the way..

So, I did this: snugged it up so it doesn't move.
Find TDC
Rotor is pointing toward passenger side of car, sort of toward middle of engine ish.
So, I attach plug wires starting with 1, then follow the pattern around

(I've got the ESC plug off)
It won;t start, and sounds like it's really off...Like pop pop...kinda chitty chitty bang ish

I'm just not 100% sure that the dist position is correct..

Am I missing a step?
Thanks fellas,
Rich

 

The crankshaft rotates twice for every 720 degree cycle. Are you sure you have it to zero on the compression stroke? Did you put your finger over the spark plug hole, or watch the intake rocker arm come up and go back down before bringing it to zero? Do not disconnect the est bypass until after you've got it running. By shining a light in the distributor hole with a long screwdriver you can turn the oil pump key to get the rotor wherever you want it. Looking at the top of the distributor it turns clockwise 18436572.

 

The way that you did it is fine...provided that you found TDC for #1 (and not TDC for another cylinder), and also, the TDC you found was compression and not between exhaust and intake strokes.

MY guess based on what you wrote is that you found TDC between exhaust and intake. You can either lift the dist and rotate the rotor 180* and drop it back in, OR use the post on the cap that you chose for #1, and use it for #6 and then follow the firing order clockwise from there.

Mr *****'s and I posted at the same time, saying basically the same thing.

 

An easy and quick way to find tdc is to get a compression tester piece (the part that screws into the plug hole and fab up a whistle on the other end. when the whistle starts making noise you know your just about there. Then move the crank slowly till the marks line up (assuming it has not spun.)

 

ok fellas, lemme go back out again.
btw, I'm using a pressure gauge to find TDC
but I've been assuming that when it jumps up, that that is TDC on comp stroke

 

did the #6 #1 swap
sounds worse
So: the assumption then, is that #1TDC compression stroke hasn't been found yet

maybe it's time to do the straw in the cylinder check?

 

though, I don;t get how a gauge can be wrong..

;(

 

Probably a silly question but you are on cyl #1 right?

http://www.autozone.com/autozone/rep...00c1528008493f

Bottom diagram (i know not correct year but its the same damn thing)

Also when you find tdc the rotor should be pointing to #1 plug wire. (driver side headlight) It sounds like the oil pump tab might be off also. (long screwdriver and adjust)

 

With the rotor at TDC # 1 it should be pointing at drivers side front plug, if it's not then as mentioned in a earlier post reposition the shaft and gear that drive the rotor

 

And for Gods sake, when you do find #1 TDC , put a mark on the back of the plenum, so next time you can just drop the distributor in until the rotor lines up with that mark...
If you put your finger over the #1 hole, then rotate the crank until it blows your finger off the hole, then continue to rotate the crank around until you bring it to "0"....You can't go wrong finding #1 TDC doing it this way. Of course all the other ways work also..WW

 

Also if you look at the bottom of the dist gear you will notice that the oil pump drive points to 1 plug also.

this might be a better article on install.
http://www.classiccarauto.com/impala...tributor.shtml

 

I manually turned the pump gear to point. To no 1

If Didn't help , sadly . Still wont run
Not sure if the guys right about the HB or not
Just the thought of that now being bad kinda gets my blood pumping.
Not good
Pretty depressed right now
I've been working on thus car in my Back yard for weeks now , and its getting old...

You know it how it goes
Oh we'll
Thanks fellas

 

I too am putting in a new distributor. I was going from a small cap distributor setup to the stock distributor but it has been a long time since I had the stock setup and I had forgotten how it actually set in the engine bay and could find no pictures. The diagrams in the FSM were all "partial" ones or you could not see where the square block on the cap set due to the rear plenum cover extension blocking the view.
I, of course, stuck it in so the square block ended up on the passenger side of the engine. I soon found out that the coil plug and the tach plug would not reach that go in the square block unless the distributor is installed with that block on the driver's side.
So, I just lifted the distributor out of the block far enough to disengage the gears and spin the base of the distributor around so that my tach and coil wires would go in correctly. I then lowered it back in to position and removed the #1 spark plug and checked it again. Here is what you do now:
1. Remove spark plug #1 (the first one toward the front of the engine on the driver's side).
2. Have a helper rotate the engine clockwise with a long handled ratchet wrench with q 5/8" deep socket on the crank bolt.
3. Put a finger over the #1 spark plug hole (it does not have to be tight). Turn down the country rap so you can listen and feel the air as it starts to come out of the hole. This is the compression stroke.
4. Shine a light on the timing marker and keep turning the crank until the timing mark (mine is set at 6* before Top Dead Center) lines up.
5. Pull the distributor out until the gear disengages, then set it down until it just starts to engage the gears but is not fully seated. Use a straight edge to see if the rotor is pointing somewhere between the #3 and #5 plugs (the 2nd and 3rd plugs from the driver's side of the front of the engine). As you push it farther down so that the gear engages then your rotor should be pointing at the left front outer corner of the driver's side valve cover. The base of the distributor will probably be about 1/4" off the block due to the fact that the bottom tab is not fully seated into the oil pump. Then simply have your helper rotate the engine clockwise again as you gently push down on the distributor plate. When it drops in the rest of the way you will be all set. Even though the engine has turned a bit, the rotor has turned with it.
6. Fire that bad boy up and check with your timing light to see that everything is set correctly.
7, Tighten the clamp down fully, reconnect the EST plug and pop a well deserved cold one!
You are just too stressed right now, not trusting yourself and overthinking things.
Now - if your timing is still off then that means your harmonic balancer has slipped - but I think you will find that this works.
I just did this procedure last night and it worked and I am one of the biggest garage screwups you have ever met. If it is impossible to install a certain part the wrong way then I will find that way! I embarrass myself all the time.

 

I think I pretty much followed that procedure for the most part
Then I dropped the dist hold down bolt, and never found it: just about lost it after 15 minutes of searching .

I'm not gonna start doing things like harm balancers out in my backyard, so who knows, might be done with it.

Either way, thanks tons for the post

 

Yeah just take a break. Rolling around in the dirt isnt fun, I just finished doing this, replacing head gaskets after the heads were reworked and discovered the water pump was leaking profusely. It took me 3 tries to get the valves adjusted properly with the FSM sitting right in front of me. Luckily I didnt damage anything.

Setting valve timing also requires you to find TDC. Find and mark the timing mark on the balancer. Take the LS valve cover off, put your hand on the #1 valves with fingers on the head. Rotate the engine with a long ratchet with a 5/8" socket as mentioned. Pay attention for movement in the #1 valves. If the valves move as you are rotating the engine to the timing mark, you are approaching the #6 TDC, which is 180* out from #! and #1 is on the exhaust stroke. If the valve do not move then you are at #1 at the firing stroke. Make sure the oil pump is lined up and yes, the rotor button should point towards #1. As mentioned, you have to start the dist. gear at about the 3-5 area so it rotates down to the #1. The square electrical connection on the cap should be on the drivers side and the #1-#8 will more or less be at the rear of your plenum. Even at 0* the car should crank. Then disconnect the EST and set to 6*.

Check everything again and if it is all correct then go on to something else after you had your break and are thinking clearer again. Frustration will lead to errors and if the work is right dont keep second guessing it, there is another problem. I spend a couple of days working on brake cylinders I rebuilt going over and over the same work only to discover my front brake hoses had collapsed.

Good luck!

 

great advice,thx

 

standing at the front of the car,looking toward the windshield, number one is on the right (drivers) front side, the plug closest to you. All plugs on that side are odd numbered.1/3/5/8. the otherside, starting from the front, 2/4/6/8. NOW., looking again towards the windshield. drawing a line from you to the windshield, number on hole on the dist cap should be just to the right of that line with number 8 just to the left of that line. With line on dampner lined up with about 8 degrees, rotor cap should be pointed at ,or near, number one sparkplug wire/tower. should start. If not, tuen all the way around again, then have it pointed at number one tower. should start. Yep, cheapest way to tell when compression stroke is coming up is to put your finger over number one hole. Do NOT stick finger in hole, just over hole. If you were closer, I would come help.