The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop dead 235

still fighting with the 50 year old motor. refuse to give up! i know this is probably a stupid question but could someone give me the firing order for a 235? also where could i find a diagram of the distributor cap showing plug wire placement.

oleb97,, do a local search on firing order.. you will find a post and diagram that should help you,, I dont know how to link you or I would.. you will find several post on this search that should help. regards..Fred

oleb97,

The firing order is 153624. The distributor rotates clockwise. For the perfectionist, #1 would be in the three o'clock position and the rest would parade around in sequence of firing order (clockwise).

The location of #1 isn't arbitrary. It's imperative you identify TDC for #1 cylinder, insert the distributor, making sure it's engaged in the oil pump. Now you install the rotor and make sure that the wire going to #1 plug is somewhere close to where the rotor is pointing.


Stuart

I had an awful time with this. As Stuart said, you absoulutely must find top dead center for number 1 cylinder before anything will work. Everyone seems to have a different system for doing this.

The system I finally used will probably seem all wrong to everyone else, but here is what I did:
I turned the motor by hand until the number one cylinder intake valve went through a cycle, and quit turning when it reached the point where the rocker was loose.

You must must also be certain you are on the right stroke. To do that I watched the timing marks. When the valve went through its cycle, reached the point where the rocker was loose, and I could see the timing marks, I assumed I must have it in the right position. This may seem wierd, but it worked for me.

I also had an awful time with the timing marks. All the information I could find said the timing mark was a small metal ball imbeded in the flywheel. I didn't have a ball. I had a small round circle, a number of straight marks and a triangle. Since everything I could find said to use the ball, I assumed the circle must have taken its place. That was completely wrong. The right one was the triangle. Once I used that to line everything up, it started on the first try after turning over about two times.

Hope this helps. Allen

PS: You might consider investing in a shop manual. They are available, are not too expensive and are worth their weight in gold. One won't solve all your problems, but it sure will help. They have a lot of good descriptions on how to do things, and a lot of pictures. For example there is a detailed explanation on how to put the distributor back in if the motor has been rebuilt or turned after the distributor was taken out.

I always have stuck my finger over number one plug hole. Then i have my brother bump the engine until it blows my finger out.when this happens,you are at top dead center.You can use a wrag as well. I have found it to be the easiest and most reliable "primitive pete method".

bowtietim,

It has always seemed easier to me to yank one little plug than remove the valve cover. Wouldn't the cover have to be cleaned and sealed again to stem the flow of blood. Sometimes, primitive is better.

Stuart

bowtietim I use the same method you do but I hasten to add for the very inexperienced---an exhaust stroke will also give SOME pressure at the sparkplug hole. The difference is easily decernable if the engine is moved through all four cycles.

I usually set the position of the distributor so that the points are just beginning to open.

Put your finger or thumb over the spark plug hole. Sticking it in one with good compression can result in major skin and blood loss.

I usually turn the engine over by hand. Tighten up the fan belt and you can use the fan blade. Means you can hold the left thumb on the cylinder and do it yourself. Be sure to loosen the belt when you get her running.

It is hard to get the motor to turn with the fan, the belt always seems to slip. I have found that if I pull up on the fan on the left side of the motor as I face it, it works better than pushing down on the other side. I think when you pull up on the blade it has a tendency to pull the belt tighter on that side. Not sure why, but it works better that way for me.

Also a squirt of belt dressing will help. Allen