Spook

I know, I know full of questions about my ZZ4 crate. But just to check which one is post 1. I dont see any really clear markings on the housing. If you could tell me its location as related to the electrical pickups. I was thinking second post going clockwise from the negative lead seems I have some literature that supports that thought. Just want to make sure its all good.

Spook
:reddevil

Fevre

Tech there is not assigned posts, you just have to make sure the rotor is aligned with the post you put the plug wire for #1 when the eng is at tdc #1. But most times it is the post that lines up with the rotor when #1 is at tdc and the rotor is pointing at the #1 cyl. When reintalling a dist most people put the eng at tdc, make sure it is just after the intake rocker closes, and then drop the dist in place so the rotor points at the #1 cyl.

lars

If you have an HEI distributor installed, the #1 post is the forward driver's side tower: The distributor should be installed with the coil cover fairly "square" in the engine, and in this position there are two posts side-by-side on the forward side of the distributor cap. #1 is the driver's side post of the two posts. #8 is the passenger side forward post.

Fevre

Lars

Can you elaborate on why the HEI has set posts? I am curious as to whether this applies to my MSD Dist.

Spook

Lars

Throw your wisdom down ... please...

I've got it set the way you seem to describe. Although to get her to start purring I needed to advance it about 40 degrees in rotation. This would seem to say to me 360/8 = 45 so I should move it back a post and adjust timing from there. This is just the thoughts I am going through since I cant find either of my two timing lights (not exactly the most used item in my garage although maybe they should be).

Also I would love to get the ellaboration Fevre is asking for.

btw thanks for all your great info over time. Your a great friend even if you dont know it.

Spook
:reddevil

BSeery

http://temp.corvetteforum.net/c3/bse...ring_order.jpg


[Modified by BSeery, 12:18 AM 10/10/2003]

lars

All distributors, not just HEI, have a set post for #1. The Chevy HEI is as I described, and as shown in Bryan's very good sketch. This was done simply so that assembly line engines were always assembled exactly the same way. On points-style Chevy distributors, the distributor was installed so that the vacuum advance control unit pointed towards the 7:00 o'clock position (as viewed from the front of the engine, with 6:00 o'clock being forward), and the #1 tower is the tower between the points window and the vacuum advance control unit. This makes the #1 tower the passenger side forward post on the points distributors, and the driver's side forward post on HEI. These are the "correct" designated posts for the #1 location.

Obviously, the engine does not care which post is #1 as long as #1 fires at the correct time on the compression stroke. Therefore, you can drop the distributor into the block in any random position, figure out where the rotor is pointing when #1 cylinder is in the firing position, and simply plug the #1 wire into that tower location. The engine will run just fine, and this has no effect on peformance as long as the timing is set correctly. However, **** mechanics like me simply go nuts when we see distributors installed "incorrectly."

If you have to rotate your HEI distributor so it's "cocked" in the block (not set close to square as shown in Bryan's sketch) you have the distributor installed one or two teeth off. To keep your plug wire installation "correct," you need to pop the distributor out of the block far enough to disengage the cam gear and rotate the rotor either forward or backward one tooth. I can send you an MS Word paper on how to do this - the paper applies specifically to point-style distributors, but you can use the described techniques on your HEI along with Bryan's sketch to get it right. If you want a copy of the paper, drop me an e-mail to:
lars.grimsrud@lmco.com

joe73vette

it may be ****, but it also helps with plug wire lengths whey you are using a precut set. joe

Oldguard 7

WILL ANYONE TAKE A PIC OF A HEI DISTRIBUTOR IN THE ENGINE, ONE WITH THE CAP ON IDENTIFING THE #1 TOWER, AND ONE OFF WITH THE ROTOR POINTING TOWARD #1 CYLINDER? THIS IS GOING OVER MY HEAD.

BSeery

just look at my picture above. That is a view of the distributor from above. The front of the car is labeled, and you can see the orientation of the wire pack on the HEI distributor.
so, find your number one tower, then go down to where the cap meets the body of the distributor. Draw a line on the distributor body right under the terminal of the #1 terminal. Then when you have the cap off and are installing the distributor you want the rotor to point to that line when you have the distributor fully seated in the engine and the engine is set to top dead center. Know that when you are installing the distributor the rotor will turn as it goes into the engine, so you need to set the rotor ahead a little. If you did it right, the rotor will line up with #1 when installed.

I will do photos in just a minute or two.

BSeery

HEI distributor correctly installed in car, front of car on left, viewed from drivers side. Note #1 terminal.



Under the #1 terminal make a mark on the distributor body. See black mark on distributor body, under the #1 terminal.
Now remove the cap.



Start installing distributor body in engine. Note that rotor is not pointing at the mark for number 1 on the body, but is turned pointing more at the fender. That is because as the distributor drops into the engine and the gear engages the cam gear, the rotor will turn. The objective is to have the rotor point to the mark for #1 when the distributor is FULLY SEATED.

As such.



If the distributor will not full seat in the engine it is most likely because the oil pump shaft slot is not lining up with the notch at the end of the distributor shaft gear. You will have to take the distributor back out and with a very long flat screwdriver turn the oil pump shaft. You need to turn it so when the distributor drops in the engine fully it lines up with the inside of the distributor shaft gear. This takes some practice.

If all is seated well the rotor should be pointing very close to the #1 mark when fully seated. If you have the crank set at 0 degrees timing it should point right at it. If you want to set your static timing, turn the crank to about 8 degrees before top dead center and then turn the distributor body so the mark lines up with the rotor. You will then be able to secure the distributor, install the cap, wires and fire it up. Time with a timing light after that.

Hope this helps.





[Modified by BSeery, 11:02 PM 10/11/2003]

lars

Excellent and accurate description, Bryan! :cheers: