hoot85

When i removed the distributor from the manifold i was replacing, i set the rotor pointing to the windshield as a referance point. i totaly understand the correct way is to find tdc on cylinder number 1 and point it there but i was told this was just as easy so i rotated the crank clockwise untill it was poiting to the windshield.

it was a beautiful day this morning so i pushed the car out of the garage. not sure if i was in reverse or neutral. (automatic 1985 vette)
i did all the prep work, installed the new manifold, it started raining, i pushed it back in.

The question is,

DID I SCREW UP MY TIMING MARK BY MOVING THE UNSTARTED CAR BACK AND FORTH?
Any 2 cents would be very much so appreciated as im either having a brain fart or being tooooooooo cautious.

Thanks guys.

buckethead

i don't think you could push it that easy in gear. you should be able to install distributor and cranl it up if the motor has moved you will find out real quick when your engine runs rough or will not start at all because you fire pattern is not in the correct order to your engine

JAKE

First, pushing the car won't cause the crank to turn unless you have a manual and the trans was IN GEAR. If it was in gear, you shouldn't have been able to push it anyway.

Second, as along as the distributor was correctly installed and the distributor and cam gears were meshed, even if the engine DID turn over, the timing isn't altered.

Hope this helps.

Jake

BillWelter

The engine wouldn't have turned over, you should be OK, Just put it back in, you should have also noted which direction the ditrubutor housing was pointed, too. Just put the dist back in with rotor pointed where it was (remember, it will try to turn as it's going in because of the drive gear, so you'll have to turn it to allow for that) and the housing where it was pointed, and it should start up OK.

hoot85

Thanks to everybody for the great advice! its very well appreciated i guess im good to go.
kindest reguards to all who gave input.
john

CentralCoaster

It won't really hurt to put in backwards, it might backfire, or not fire at all.

Basically, without the distributor, the only way to determine if the engine is at TDC compression, (and not exhaust) is to check the rocker arms.

You have a 50/50 chance of dropping the dist in, or being 180 off. And that all assumes, you don't get it in a tooth off.

JAKE

You can use the ole "finger in the #1 spark plug hole" trick to feel for compression as you bump over the engine. Of course, the cam, lifters, pushrods, rockers, etc., have to be installed and pre-load/lash adjusted.

The there's the "take a peek at the crank and cam gear dot relationship, but that calls for having the TC cover off, which is another story altogether. LOL

Jake

hippy

Or just look at the harmonic balancer and put the mark on zero then you are either at the top of cylinder 1 or 6.