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Apr 26th, 2026 | | AD Chevy Trucks  Over 6,000 pictures Brad Allen has an awesome collection of Chevrolet factory pictures that he has set up from film strips. Check them out!
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| | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 36 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 36 | engine runs rough and backfires, overheats , etc when I set the timing pointer on the ballbearing on the flywheel. I just adjusted the valves , discovered a faulty thermostat, got her sounding good and decided to check the timing. Put my light on it and much to my surprise it's way off but runs like a champ. If I set it per the manual bad things happen. Carb has been rebuilt and adjusted, valves adjusted,seems to run best advanced to about 32 deg. Any ideas?
thanks
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,094 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,094 | lokk at your plug wires, they are probably off on place. thats why when you set at timing mark it runs bad,and when advanced it runs good. Move wires one space over on cap in the direction you are advancing the dist. ( start win #1)
Tommy
59 apache 1/2t
261 short stepside
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 549 Shop Shark | | Shop Shark Joined: Feb 2006 Posts: 549 | I don't think that's right Tommy. As long as you have them in the right firing order you should be able to put them anywhere on the distributor and still time it. | | | | | Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 36 Wrench Fetcher | | Wrench Fetcher Joined: Dec 2008 Posts: 36 | tommy you were on to something ,I had 3 & 5 transposed switched them back ran even better advanced dialed it back in with the timing light and it's so so . Try again tommorrow. | | | | | Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,094 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2001 Posts: 1,094 | Avette, you're right doesn't matter where #1 is so long as the wires are in the right order.What I was thinking was,he was looking in the manual and where #1 was in the picture may not have been where it was on the dist.
Tommy
59 apache 1/2t
261 short stepside
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 591 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Jan 2000 Posts: 591 | Just for my information: I didn't think you could put #1 in any position on the distributor once the distributor is in place (even though the subsequent firing sequence is correct). Doesn't #1 have to be positioned so it is true when #1 cylinder is in the compression stroke? I suppose it could be anywhere in terms of "clock" position on the distributor, but I thought it needed to synchronous with #1 power stroke. I'm asking because I'm one of those that has gotten it wrong in the past and you can run an engine 180 degrees out of time. In addition, an out of time engine can overheat, don't ask me how I know that.
Last edited by Donsz; 02/16/2011 3:09 PM.
| | | | | Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 5,213 'Bolter | | 'Bolter Joined: Feb 2000 Posts: 5,213 | Donz, you are correct, #1 has to be on power stroke when its time to fire. It does not need to be on any certain post of the distributor cap as long as the rotor is pointing at that post, and the other 5 wires are correct. If going by a manual, and some caps marked with a #1, then you should start the wires from that point and go on around, then be sure the rotor is pointing at #1 when you install the distributor.
Joe | | |
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