Fitting the Distributor

[leejohn7@gmail.com]

First post from a California lurker.
I'm nearing the end of a full restoration of a 73, building a stripped down abandoned project. I can't seem to get the dist. in its proper place - at TDC, with the rotor pointed at the far coil clamp bolt and the base more or less centered over the attachment bolts and the test light coming on correctly. With the dist so installed, the test light comes on when the base is far off center. Another way to explain: when the dist is installed as above, and I begin to turn the crank, the light comes on some distance past the timing marks. It seems like everything is off one flat on the dist shaft.
Any ideas as to what gives?
Would it be possible to ignore the apparent dislocation and set the plug wires wherever the first firing position happens to be?
Probably all gibberish to the reader, so please weigh with your queries.
Thanks
John , in San Fran.

[martin]

Hi John, welcome. Lift the distributor almost out, turn the rotor back one tooth then re-install. Martin.

[leejohn7@gmail.com]

Thanks for the reply, Martin. That doesn't seem to work. I can get it set in correctly,as in the ROM, but the test light does not test at the correct timing mark. Not even close. I have to turn the dizzy base way off center to get the test to work according the book (Haynes).

[Firept]

John.
The obvious I know but you are timing it off of the correct cylinder and it is on the compression stroke?
Piston No 2 first on on the Left hand bank drivers side in your case being a LH drive.

Paul.

[leejohn7@gmail.com]

Thanks, Paul. Yep, doing all that. The whole thing seems to be one "flat" of the dizzy shaft off.
John

[martin]

It's possible that you're replacing it in the same position, they're quite large teeth. Martin.

[leejohn7@gmail.com]

Maybe so. I'll keep fussing with it.

[european voyager]

Hi john, is the oil pump hex drive stopping the distributed from locating where you want it as its driven off the jack shaft via the distributed.

E.V.

[Westfaling]

That's a good point. My oil pump was a bit stiff initially and I did have problems getting this right as the hex drive from the pump needs to engage with the distributor shaft.
Nick

[european voyager]

I think so. It could be that the drive flats don't line up where you want it but line up past it . Drop the oil pump and the drive shaft then try dizzy again.

[leejohn7@gmail.com]

Thanks Nick and E.V. I will try to set the dist without the oil drive shaft, but I have been able to set it up correctly - at lest according to the ROM and the pics in Haynes. The trouble is it doesn't fire where it should, as indicated by the test light. I must be mis-understanding something. Never had this problem with the 6's and 4's. Please stay tuned.
John

[richardthestag]

Hi john

I had similar probs with mine last week.

Set crank to tdc on #2 compression stroke. Fitted the dizzy with the rotor pointing to #2 and the further coil mount bolt. I managed to get the engine to run but the timeing was way to far advanced with no room on the baseplate to retard any further. I lifted the dizzy and moved it round one tooth. The rotor still points to #2 on the cap but is now directed to the nearest coil mount bolt. Then did the static timing and the engine ran a ton better. Did the strobe timing when it was warm and got it to 12btdc. The mount bolt is in about the middle of the baseplate slot.

On a friends car years ago we couldnt do this. The hex shaft was tight in the base of the dizzy. Using good old fashioned brute force we removed it, cleaned up the end and rotated it one flat. The dizzy then easily installed into the correct location and we could set the timing spot on.

Good luck with yours

[leejohn7@gmail.com]

Hi john

I had similar probs with mine last week.

Set crank to tdc on #2 compression stroke. Fitted the dizzy with the rotor pointing to #2 and the further coil mount bolt. I managed to get the engine to run but the timeing was way to far advanced with no room on the baseplate to retard any further. I lifted the dizzy and moved it round one tooth. The rotor still points to #2 on the cap but is now directed to the nearest coil mount bolt. Then did the static timing and the engine ran a ton better. Did the strobe timing when it was warm and got it to 12btdc. The mount bolt is in about the middle of the baseplate slot.

On a friends car years ago we couldnt do this. The hex shaft was tight in the base of the dizzy. Using good old fashioned brute force we removed it, cleaned up the end and rotated it one flat. The dizzy then easily installed into the correct location and we could set the timing spot on.

Good luck with yours

Sounds like a good plan. I'll give a try and report back.
Many thanks
John

[leejohn7@gmail.com]

Which raises another question - which is the #1 plug on the dizzy cap? The one just to the left of the upper clip?

[Westfaling]

This might help.
Nick
Dizzie(1).pdf