It's usually possible to grab a fan blade and turn the engine that way, assuming the fan belt is tensioned properly. On a new engine with plenty of compression, or an old, tight one that hasn't been run in a while it might be necessary to remove the spark plugs. Another method is to put the transmission in 3rd. gear and gently roll the truck forward. The idea is to get the rubbing block on the points on the highest part of the distributor cam lobe, and then adjust the points to about .016" (16 thousandths) For testing purposes any visible gap will do. The points should close on the flat part of the cam, and open on the high point. Now- - - -pay attention:
With the points open and the ignition switch on, you should see battery voltage on the terminal on the side of the distributor. With the points closed, you should see NO voltage there, since the points are grounding the terminal and the (-) side of the coil. An ice pick type test light with the lead grounded and the probe touching the distributor side terminal should flash as the engine is cranked. If the test light flashes, you should also get a spark at the center terminal of the coil by holding the wire near a ground while cranking.
The fact that you're getting voltage at the distributor terminal tells me the points are being held open all the time or the connection with the point spring inside the distributor is incorrect. . . No good!
Jerry
