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Jul 21st, 2025 | | | | Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 122 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Sep 2010 Posts: 122 | Ready to drop in the distributor. Have the ball on the flywheel lined up with the pointer in the timing hole. Need to know if the following scenario will work without engine damage: set the rotor to fire #1 cylinder. If engine does not start, reposition the rotor 180 degrees and restart the engine. Should work? Thanks for comments. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) | | Kettle Custodian (pot stirrer) Joined: Feb 2004 Posts: 28,674 | There is no real need for guesswork. Is the valve cover installed? If not, turn the engine clockwise from the front (normal running direction) until the #6 exhaust valve (last one in line) opens fully and starts to close. When the intake valve (2nd. from the back) just begins to open, drop the distributor in with the rotor pointed to the #1 spark plug wire. You're timed to fire #1, no guesswork at all.
If the valve cover is installed and you don't want to remove it, turn the engine with the #1 spark plug removed and your thumb over the plug hole until you feel compression pressure, then continue turning until the ball and pointer align. Drop the distributor in timed to #1. Either method eliminates the guesswork about which cylinder is on the compression stroke.
Jerry
"It is better to be silent and be thought a fool than to speak and eliminate all doubt!" - Abraham Lincoln
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| | | | | Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,320 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2001 Posts: 5,320 | Jerry is spot on, but to answer your question, it will not hurt anything to have it 180 out.
See the USA in your vintage Chevrolet! My Blog | | | | | Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,847 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Oct 2006 Posts: 1,847 | you can't reposition the rotor it only goes on one way. 180 out only makes it not start. As long as you have any contact in the distributor cap lined up it is all a matter of where you place the wires. just place the #1 wire to that hole in the distributor, and continue around clockwise. The only problem might be the wires won't fit so well. | | |
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