I am having trouble getting my distributor back into sinc since i got my engine back together from changing the head gaskets. I would greatly appreciate any advice. A picture showing which direction the distributor is supposed to be facing will also be very helpful.

Here are 3 pics, 1st one mine, next 2 unknown.

being you needed to lash the rockers - you must have had the crank at TDC #1 & TDC #4. if you went "by the book" - your crank should still be at TDC #4. assuming it is: install the dist so the rotor is pointing away from that vacuum port near the dist. generally, you want to start #1 on the post opposite the flat area/connector area of the cap. this should put the cap within the adjustable area.

but, anyways - the key to setting the dist is finding the TDC of a cyl, and putting the dist in so the rotor is pointing to the post of the cyl at TDC. be it 1 or 4, or any other cyl.

I did lash the rockers according to the book. But the crankshaft has turned since then. So what I've been doing is getting the #1 cyl. at TDC with timing mark on the vibration damper at 0. Then, with the distributor removed, i rotate the rotor so it's between the #1 and #6 cyl. post things and when i put the distributor back in, the helical grind on the distributor shaft causes the rotor to line up with the #1 post. Shouldn't this work? Perhaps in this case, the #1 cyl. was on the exhaust up stroke. Then if I switch all the spark plug wires around so that #1 is on #4, #2 is on #5, and so on... it should work. Right?? Anyway, here's a picture of my distributor as it is clamped into the block.



I faces a totally different direction as all yours, but i dont think it would be a problem as long as the rotor is in sinc with the TDC on all the pistons. Or would it?

quote Originally posted by MordacP: ..... I faces a totally different direction as all yours, but i dont think it would be a problem as long as the rotor is in sinc with the TDC on all the pistons. Or would it?

the only problem is the wires coming of it at the base. one set goes to the igntion coil, and only has so much room. other than that - yes - #1 can be any post.

anyways, sounds like you got the right idea.

Okay, here's an update. I made some progress, as in i can get the engine running, but i need to give it throttle to start, stay on the throttle for a minute before it will idle without dying. When it does idle, it's rough. I got it this way by getting the distributor gears lined up as best i could and tweaked the spark advance by turning the rotor cap until it seemed to work best. Obviously though, it doesn't work the way it's supposed to. There isn't any thing strange coming out of the exhaust. Does anyone have any idea how to make my motor run properly, i'm out of ideas.
I will not say for sure that the distributor rotor and crankshaft are perfectly synchronized. This may be the problem, but i dont know how to check if they are perfectly lined up. Is there a step by step instruction and pictures?

[This message has been edited by MordacP (edited 10-10-2007).]

a timing light?

As Pyrthian said, the dist is normally positioned so that you have room to adjust the timing by rotating the dist base. There is only so much room so if you start with the IM connections in the middle you have room to adjust either side.

I would make sure the spark plugs wires were on correctly. Everyone including me has put them on wrong before. Firing order is 123456 and the #1 cylinder is the rear passenger side (as shown on the 3rd pic above). After you get the plug wires on then put your paperclip in the aldl connector to make the ECM not advance the timing. Then check the results with the timing light. The engine will idle real low with the paperclip in pins A&B.

Here's the rotor orientation and distributor housing orientation when properly installed with #1 cylinder at TDC compression (as opposed to TDC exhaust, since the cam turns half the speed of the crank there are two TDCs and it's important to be on the correct one when setting initial timing).



JazzMan