The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Start the engine of my truck, a never ending story

Hello,
to start the engine of my truck thems to get a never ending story.
I turn the engine to the TDC and want to set the ignition distibutor in to the borehole to connect it to the oil pump, the distributor get into the hole but will not connect to the oil pump.
My question: Is there any trick how to turn the shaft that the ignition finger shows a TCD on the first cylinder?
Wolfgang

Heres what I do and it works every time. Take out the spark plug for the number one cylinder. Get a paper towel. Tear the paper towel in half. Shove the paper towel in the spark plug hole so that it is tight, kind of like a cork. Do not shove the towel into the cylinder, just into the spark plug hole until it is jammed packed in there. Slowly turn the motor over. When the engine is around TDC, the paper towel will shoot out of the plug hole.

You are now on or very close to TDC. Now insert the distributor so that the rotor point is over cylinder one on the cap. If the distributor does not go all the way down, get a long screwdriver and turn the oil pump shaft until the distributor will go all the way down. If the distributor is down, and the rotor pointing to number one on the cap, you should be good to go!

I have done this a bunch of times on my Chevy 350. Not sure what you have, but I bet it would work just the same on a stovebolt. It may not be the most professional thing to do, but it works and its always fun to see that paper towel shoot out. I'm curious to hear what other stovebolters think about this method...

I made a TDC indicator out of an old spark plug. Knocked the center ceramic and conductor out, rounded over a 16p nail to a ball, JB Weld-ed a small spring to lightly tension the nail to the plug base.

Pulled all the plugs and shot some 10w40 in the #1 hole, cycled the engine to get things close based on valve position, installed the indicator, made small turns of the crank while making sure the nail wasnt binding {pull on the nail} while watching for the upward movement to stop.

TDC was very much an easy and exact thing to find!

When both valves on number one are fully closed and the ball and pointer are lined up, you are at TDC.

When you are at TDC like Cletis described, you can turn the oil pump with a long screw driver so you can stick the distributor in. Make sure the rotor is aiming at the number one plug.

I do the TDC procedure, if it doesn't go in right away, back it off, move the rotor a slight bit one way or the otherand try again. If you can't hit it in a few tries then with one hand hold the distributor in with a slight pressure, reach over to the starter linkage and give the engine a VERY slight jog with the starter and it should drop in. If you pull the plugs, you may be able to turn the engine with the fan, this is probably a better method than using the starter since you can go both directions. Then static time your engine with a test light to start it and confirm with a timing lght later if you think you need to.

The timing ball and pointer will align twice- - - -once with both valves closed on the compression stroke, and again, one turn later, with the intake valve opening, and the exhaust closing, on the "overlap" between exhaust and intake. Remove the val;ve cover, and watch the valves on the #6 cylinder as you turn the engine clockwise from the front. The exhaust valve (last one in line) will open, then begin closing, and the intake will begin to open. At this point, both #1 and #6 pistons will be at the top of the stroke, with #1 on compression. Align the pointer and ball, and insert the distributor with the rotor pointed toward the #1 plug wire. If the oil pump drive does not align, reach into the distributor hole with a long screwdriver and turn the oil pump shaft until the distributor will drop into place. Once the distributor is fully seated, turn the distributor housing clockwise until the points close, then move it back counterclockwise until the points just barely open. Lock the distributor housing in this position. The ignition timing should be close enough to start and warm up the engine.
Jerry

Another way to adjust static timing is with a thin piece of cellophane clamped between the points.

Can you use this procedure on a 265? Im having a heck of a time getting it to fire. New plugs/wires/points/fuel pump/Rebuilt Carb I had fire when i had the firing order reversed #1 on passenger side, i moved them to the right postions and now i have no fire whatsoever. Im ready to pull whats left of my hair out over this old bolt

Procedure would be the same for the 265 redline73.

I always pull #1 plug and stick my finger over the hole and manualy turn the motor until I feel compression. I then stick a small screw driver in the hole and keep rotating until the piston is all the way to the top. I then align the distributer to where I want #1 to be and align the oil pump. I turn the distributer backwards about a tooth and drop it in. Works evey time. Oh, check your order too. 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 every SBC or BBC! Good Luck

I got it running via pullstart, now it spitters and sputters when i put full fuel to it, and will NOT idle. I crack the throttle when being pulled and it purrs like a kitten. Just have to hold the throttle in the same position. I got the engine to rev a few times but would just sputter out and die, I got it going via starting fluid w/o pull starting it once. Where do i look for now? Is it my float setting, or is the distributor getting out of time? I have the retainer nut broke loose so i can adjust timing easier.

Advance the timing a little by rotating the distributor counterclockwise a few degrees.The fact that it runs with the throttle open some indicates it needs a few more degrees of advance provided by the centrifugal advance while the engine is running. If it bogs the starter down or backfires through the carb, you moved it too far.
Jerry