quote Originally posted by jetman: Totally blind installation with distributor already out of engine. Rotate the crankshaft so the fat timing mark on harmonic balancer is on the timing tab. Note where the #1 plug wire post is on the cap and mark with white-out on the body of the distributor exactly where that is. Remove the cap. Install distributor with the rotor pointing at your white-out mark indicating #1 post and put the distributor cap back on. (note that the rotor is point exactly where the #1 plug wire post will be when we put the cap back on.) The engine runs without stalling or anything but it sounds really different. It's a lower pitch rumble now. Try starting the car. If it doesn’t catch fire then you may be 180* off on the base timing so get the fat timing mark on the timing tab like before. Remove the distributor and crank the harmonic balancer around exactly one full turn (360*), and then re-install the distributor with the rotor pointing at the #1 mark on the distributor. Put the cap back on and start the car. Warm up the car then shut off, ground your ADL and restart. Set timing with an induction timing light. Remember that your crankshaft makes two revolutions for every revolution of the distributor, that’s why you may be at Top Dead Center (TDC) for either #1 or #4 cylinder with the fat mark lined up on the timing tab. Some folks will pull the #1 plug out, put their finger over the hole and when it blows off, you’re at TDC for #1 cylinder. Some folks will rock the car in 2nd gear to rotate the engine on manual shift trans to get the harmonic balancer fat mark to line up on the timing tab. I’ve done that myself, beware of getting your skull slammed by the deck lid, ask me how many stars you’ll see. I have also used a long wrench and or a socket on the main bolt on the balancer. Whatever works for you. I think that’s it for a blind installation of a distributor.

EDIT: All is fine. I had a few complaints about the engine sound but it wound up being because I had the ADL jumper in on the first start. I removed it and the car sounded fine. I'm hopeful that after getting a timing light all will be perfect with this new distributor. Thanks to everyone for the help!!! Especially Jettman, whose post above help me tremendously with a step by step guide on starting from nothing...

[This message has been edited by mgiusto (edited 04-26-2009).]

Here is an excellent question that I was asked by one of our forum members.

quote Your post on distributor replacement is awesome! After reading through it a couple of times, I had some questions. What is the purpose of grounding out the ADL with a paper clip? What is ADL? Is this required every time the timing is checked? Thanks again!

Thanks for the compliment.

Yes, you must ground out the ADL to set the engine distributor base timing.

The ADL is the computer diagnostic connector that lives behind the ciggy butt cover. Grounding out the ADL puts the computer into "service" mode so that the computer does not adjust the timing on it's own. With the engine off, the paperclip is inserted into the ADL, then start the car and adjust the distributor base timing which is 10* before top dead center. It's as simple as that.

If you didn't ground out the ADL which puts the computer into service mode, you'll never be able to set the distributor base timing as the computer will be constantly making adjustments on it's own.

You also ground out the ADL whenever you check the engine codes but in that case, you don't start the engine, rather just turn the key to the engine on position and watch the "service engine soon" light (check wallet light) flash the codes at you.

Back in the old days, we didn't have engine management computers, setting the distributor timing was all we had to do. Now a days, the computer makes adjustments constantly so grounding the ADL temporarily stops the computer from making adjustments allowing you to set the distributor base timing properly.

Thanks for the excellent question, this is what makes the forum so great. As you can tell by my ratings bar, I "positively" help out in any way I can for the benefit of all my fellow Fiero forum members as they have for me in the past.

[This message has been edited by jetman (edited 09-09-2012).]