The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Distributor install help

Rebuilt the distributor, so now I’m trying to reinstall it in the 235. Brought #1 cylinder up to TDC and the rotor points to #4 on the rotor cap. I rotated the motor one full turn back to TDC and the rotor now points to #3 on the rotor cap. I thought it should point to #1 when it’s in the correct position. What am I doing wrong?

#1 at tdc on the compression stroke. Set the distributor in place pointing to #1. Or leave the distributor as you have it now and rotate the engine bringing #1 up to tdc on the compression stroke then move the plug wires to the proper location.

So In other words, wherever the rotor points when #1 is at TDC on the compression stroke is where the #1 plug wire goes, correct?

One other thing…….. how do I know it’s on the compression stroke?

Thanks

Yes

Put your thumb/finger over #1 plug hole and when the compression pushes it away you are there.

Like above, thumb over no. 1 hole, crank motor, east, one little blip at a time. As soon as you feel compression, use the fan belt to bring the bb on the flywheel to the pointer on the bell housing. You can get there by blipping the motor but it will take you a couple of times. So the better approach is to do it by hand.

Once it’s all lined up, look at your distributor and put the grease cap at like 9 o’clock, the stud for the coil wire at like 7 o’clock. Decide where you want no. 1 wire. I like mine about 4 -5 o’clock. Put a vertical chalk mark on the body of the distributor directly under the middle of the wire tower for the location you selected, again, on the body of the distributor. Remove the cap, install the rotor, rotate until the rotor is pointing around the chalk mark, maybe even in front of it, and start installing the distributor. Make sure the shaft tang is actually getting into the oil pump slot because it is possible to get the motor started without the tang turning the oil pump. Once it’s in, center the octane selector so it’s centered on 0. Rotate the distributor until the rotor is pointing at your chalk mark, tighten the screw on the clamp. Install the cap, run the wires and you are pretty close if not exactly on tdc. Start the motor and adjust the timing with a timing light if needed. Might even add a couple of degrees advance.

Thanks Martin and Dragsix. Unless I can snag a neighbor to help me, I’ll be trying to locate TDC on the compression stroke by myself! Might be a bit awkward but I’ll give it a go tomorrow after church. Thanks

Take a piece of tissue paper and place it loosely in #1 hole and as Dragsix said bump the starter several times until the tissue shoots out. Then using the fan belt line up the BB. You are now at TDC on compression stroke.

If you’re working alone, remove the valve cover and rotate with the fan belt until you see the #6 valves “rocking” (one valve started down as the other is coming up).

That will be TDC for #1.

The rotor moves a bit as the gear engages. Might have to install and remove a couple times if you really want #1 in a specific spot.

Edit: Martin’s tissue paper thing will work just as well if you don’t want to fool with the valve cover. BTW, my engine runs pretty lousy timed right on the flywheel ball. It likes a fair bit more advance than that. But you just about have to use the ball as a starting point.

I like Martin’s tissue paper idea. Pretty smart. I also like JW51’s suggestion to watch the #6 valve positions. Putting the two together should allow me to time the engine by myself after I get the rotor lined up on the distributor like Dragsix described.

Thank all 3 of you!