Distributor pickup alignment
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 858
Likes: 5
From: Fl,USA
Distributor pickup alignment
Does anyone know the correct procedure for aligning the magnetic pickup in the HEI distributor? How about rotor /cap phasing?
I believe I may have a problem and I want to look into this.
Thanks for your help,
John
I believe I may have a problem and I want to look into this.
Thanks for your help,
John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,183
Likes: 3
From: Santa Maria, CA
Re: Distributor pickup alignment (JOHN89)
the reluctor ring and the pick up coil? When I rebuilt mine earlier this year, there was only one way it could go. Cap and rotor both have locating tabs. Can't be installed wrong.
Not sure I understood/responded to the question...... :confused:
What sort of problem experiencing?
(will be pulling my dist again soon for a check up on the dist gear and everything else)
Not sure I understood/responded to the question...... :confused:
What sort of problem experiencing?
(will be pulling my dist again soon for a check up on the dist gear and everything else)
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 858
Likes: 5
From: Fl,USA
Re: Distributor pickup alignment (89 Paul in Cal)
When I align my dist pickup with the reluctor ring, my rotor is past the terminal post. My ignition spark is also 8 deg atdc. Is this normal or should they all align together. I can turn the distributor to set the ignition timing correctly but my concern is injector / ignition timing relationship.
Anyone know the skinny on HEI ddistributors????
Thanks,
John
Anyone know the skinny on HEI ddistributors????
Thanks,
John
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2001
Posts: 8,183
Likes: 3
From: Santa Maria, CA
Re: Distributor pickup alignment (JOHN89)
hmmm...
I pulled my dist to do some service on it and looked at how the triangles in the reluctor and pick-up line up. It feels "notchy" , they pretty much naturally come to rest pointing to each other perfectly. Then, I put the rotor on. Then without disturbing their relationship, I put cap back on and take back off observing rotor tip location+reluctor triangle tips in relation to cap terminal. Rotor tip points pretty much right at caps terminal/post
Looks like the caps terminals are as wide as the post tower and enough material there that the tip of the rotor can be off slighly and it would still conduct.
ignore blue circle
Maybe you have an intermittant somewhere?
I pulled my dist to do some service on it and looked at how the triangles in the reluctor and pick-up line up. It feels "notchy" , they pretty much naturally come to rest pointing to each other perfectly. Then, I put the rotor on. Then without disturbing their relationship, I put cap back on and take back off observing rotor tip location+reluctor triangle tips in relation to cap terminal. Rotor tip points pretty much right at caps terminal/post
Looks like the caps terminals are as wide as the post tower and enough material there that the tip of the rotor can be off slighly and it would still conduct.
ignore blue circle
Maybe you have an intermittant somewhere?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 1,040
Likes: 2
From: BowlingGreen KY
Re: Distributor pickup alignment (89 Paul in Cal)
Sometimes a white buildup will completely cover the terminals inside the distributor. This WILL cause a miss at high rpms and even low rpms if it is bad enough. You can just scrape the stuff off with a screwdriver and clean the terminals with sandpaper. There is really no need to replace the cap unless it is broken or cracked. This may not help you but I figured I'd write it anyway. Good luck. :cheers:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Mar 1999
Posts: 858
Likes: 5
From: Fl,USA
Re: Distributor pickup alignment (ethan1321)
I don't really have any problems (or maybe I do). I have the ZZ3/ZZ4 cam and the idle is choppy at 600 rpm. I also have a big problem with raw fuel out the pipes.
You will pass out if you stay behind the car for any great length of time!
Paul89: So if I understand you correctly when the pickup and reluctor ring are aligned "point to point" the rotor tip is pointing right in the center of the cap terminal. Well thats bad news for me or maybe good news! I went one step further than you and started it with the dist set with the pickup & reluctor pointed at each other. The timing mark indicated 8-10 degrees atdc!
My point is this: The ignition timing and injector timing are all based from the reluctor signal. This indicates to me that my injector timing may be off possibly late! This would for sure pump raw fuel out the pipes!
I guess my next move is to confirm that all should be aligned together and that mine is truely frigged up!
Someone must have some experience with this? Hmmm... I did replace the dist cam gear with a factory gm one when I put the cam in. I don't remember if the gear was notched or if it really mattered which way it went on.
It would make sense to me that all points should be aligned as Paul's seems to be.
John
You will pass out if you stay behind the car for any great length of time!
Paul89: So if I understand you correctly when the pickup and reluctor ring are aligned "point to point" the rotor tip is pointing right in the center of the cap terminal. Well thats bad news for me or maybe good news! I went one step further than you and started it with the dist set with the pickup & reluctor pointed at each other. The timing mark indicated 8-10 degrees atdc!
My point is this: The ignition timing and injector timing are all based from the reluctor signal. This indicates to me that my injector timing may be off possibly late! This would for sure pump raw fuel out the pipes!
I guess my next move is to confirm that all should be aligned together and that mine is truely frigged up!
Someone must have some experience with this? Hmmm... I did replace the dist cam gear with a factory gm one when I put the cam in. I don't remember if the gear was notched or if it really mattered which way it went on.
It would make sense to me that all points should be aligned as Paul's seems to be.
John
