Paul L

My vacuum advance was hitting the intake runner as seen in the first pic. This setting was 10 BTDC but limited my flexibility in making adjustments. Must be one tooth off. So I figured I would remedy this situation. It's an old topic I know.

So I read the archives and I have a copy of Lars' excellent paper on this subject. Sounds simple. Just position the timing mark at TDC on compression stroke of #1 cylinder, position rotor to #1 tower on distributor cap and base, and pop the unit in.



Here is the timing mark.



And this pic shows the only position that the distributor will go back in. The rotor is pointing between #4 and #8 cylinders. I have tried Lars' walking the rotor trick but to no avail. It will also go in bewteen #5 and #7 cylinders but there is no way I can get the rotor to line up with #1. Am I missing something obvious?




[Modified by paul67, 8:21 AM 7/2/2004]


[Modified by paul67, 8:26 AM 7/2/2004]

Boofers

Oil pump slot lining up? Use a long flat head screw driver to turn your oil pump shaft to match the slot on the distributor where it should be at position 1?

My79Vette

I would suggest you read Lar's paper on the slipping of the vibration damper. Maybe your harmonic balancer has a problem and it just looks like you have TDC set correctly.

MILO

Oil pump slot not lining up. Look at the bottom of the distributor and down the hole in the manifold. It takes a while to line up.

HDIronman

With dist seated all the way down, and room to move the dist for adjustment, you can point the rotor to any tower and use it as #1. Then simply install the rest of the plug wires in order.

Pierre

Paul,
Been there many times. Boofer is right, the oil pump shaft must be in the wrong position, not easy to see but you can reach it with long screwdriver through the distributor opening and turn it to the right location, ccw in your situation.

Pierre

66427-450

agree

ctjackster

absolutely agree, just need to grab your longest flat head screw driver, peer on down into the dist hole, and rotate the "slot" you see down there (it drives the oil pump, as folks have pointed out) 15 degerees or so, and try to reinsert the dist. I have had my dist out three times, and I still have not mastered lining up the slot, I often have to re-adjust it a few times before the dist finally slides all the way in where I have intended it to go.

Paul L

My sincere thanks to all who replied. You are miracle workers! I moved the shaft CCW bit by bit and now have almost perfect alignment of the rotor to the #1 white mark on the distributor base. Thanks again.

Paul L

Joy can be short-lived. A fellow over the C2 area suggested that I verify that the dimple on the distributor gear is pointing in the direction of the rotor tip. Apparently this can sway timing some 14 degrees. Mine was 180 degrees bass-ackwards. Changed that around and re-did the oil pump shaft thing again to compensate...again. How much blood can hands lose in one day? Love that distributor clamp hold-down bolt....

In any case I have given up for today. But I have static timed the engine at 10 degrees and the pic shows the vacuum canister in mid-stream compared with right up against the intake runner where I was before. So I am pleased with the outcome. But sometimes these cars are more difficult than pulling teeth.

aussiejohn

Paul,
One of the few areas where Ford got it right. They put the distributor in the right place, up front!!! Some Caddy and Pontiacs copied them. Pity Chevrolet didn't.

Regards from Down Under

aussiejohn

Paul L

Thanks John. There are many sharp edges back there. I had a 1966 Mustang 289 and know of what you speak. And greetings from Canada!

DJ Dep

Or......you do like I did and go with a C2 Vette dual point mechanical advance distributor with NO vacuum advance.

Absolute best setup is the front-mounted Ford or Mopar distributor with Accel dual point with GM externally adjustable points. You get the best of both worlds, externally adjustable points and a distributor that you don't have to crawl across the car to adjust

Dep


[Modified by DJ Dep, 10:39 PM 7/2/2004]

69427

Paul,

Glad you got the distributor reinstalled. But as far as all the pain and worrying about the oil pump shaft lining up, I never worry about it. I point the rotor (knowing which direction it will rotate a bit when it drops down) and housing in the direction I want it, and lower the assembly down the hole. A slight finger tight tension of the clamp, and then I just crank the engine over a few cylinders worth. The distributor always drops right in to engage the pump, and then just a little fine tuning on the rotation of the housing to get the timing I want. Quick and easy.

Mike

Steve Straus

Paul,
Save your blood for the Red Cross and buy one of these. It makes tightening down that nut a piece of cake.


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...category=42261

Schmucker

And think what it would be like having the distributor in the back and having the hood hinged there. I really don't mind the location since I'm tall and can reach it just fine.

Paul L

Welcome back Dep! Hope you are feeling better.

Paul L

Thanks Steve. Tightening down was not too much of a problem. Getting the bolt started in the threads in that confined space was.

Paul L

Mike,
I am not sure how you get things lined up that way. See my original pic re the rotor way off from #1 TDC position before turning the oil pump shaft. You will certainly get engagement but where will the advance unit be pointing for correct timing?

DJ Dep

Thanks Paul. I been pretty good. Taking meds from the VA. Getting in a lot of riding on the bikes now that the weather has finally turned nice.

Dep