Thread: Setting distributor.

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line up TDC marks on damper and timing cover.

try re gapping your plugs if thier right find someone that can put it in time..... air fuel fire compression ..you got those it should run...just get it in time...not that i know im just saying if its spitting and sputtering the timeing should help aslong as your plugs and wires are good...have you messed with the screws on the front of that carb if so try putting them back where they where....might try caping of your vacuum advance port on your carb if it cranks might try getting a new vacuum advance....thats all i can think of gl...

I'll try regapping the plugs today. The wires are new. I did put a vacuun guage on. I hooked it to the back of the carb. ? This port was for a power brakes. Could this cause the problem ? I'm trying to work backwards from when it was running. Thanks for posting twice once here , once in the new thread.

My neighbor came over today and thought the timing was out by 180. I took off the valve cover and turned the engine over until the number 1 rockers had no loading on them. Reinstalled distributor but all I got was back firing thru the carb. Any new ideas, do you think I need a new module for the distributor ?

are you setting your firing order clockwise or counter clockwise..?try clock wise for a chevy

firing order is 18436572....the coil on the top of the distributor cap is a part that can be taken to autozone and tested....number one when your standing in front of your truck is the front right number 2 is front left number 3 is 2nd back on right 4 is 2nd back on left and so on...gl

I'm setting it clockwise. It seems to be closer to starting now with the back firing thru the carb. When I pulled the distributor today I put the timing marks and timing tag to zero. But I had to put the rotor pointing to number 2 cylinder so Iwould have room to turn the dist. without hitting fire wall. Number one wire stayed in the same spot on the cap. Is this right ?

If you look at the picture of my dist. I posted there is a black mark on it. Just to the right of it is the post I call number # 1. I turn the engine over and watch the rockers. When there is no load on the rockers and the marks are lined up, I stick the distributor in. The metal end on the rotor points toward the number 1 cylinder. The first time I did it today I was about 60 degrees out. I measured this with a timing light while my son cranked it over. I tried to rotate the distributor counter clock wise so I could get to 10 or 12 but I hit the fire wall. So I pulled it back out and started again and thats how I ended up pointing the rotor towards the passenger side headlight.

Since it hasn't been brought up, are you running a MSD or other type spark box ?, if so are you sure it's wired correctly and/or is working ? , both of these possibiltys happen more often than you would think.

No spark box just an Accel HEI , hot wire to iginition switch ( pink wire ) and tach wire to tach. I have to work tomorrow so I will not have time to work on it again til Wed. This sucks.

have you LOOKED at your weights & springs, freedom of movement etc, are you SURE the coil is good, have you reset/checked the valve adjustment ?

The last time I started it, the headers glowed red. I adjusted the rockers and this went away. I had been turning the engine to TDC at number 1. I would then roll the pushrod between my fingers and tightened the rocker arm nut until the pushrod did not spin. I then would go a half turn more. My nieghbor said I should only go a quarter turn. he said I was holding my valves open.So I readjusted the rockers using the quarter turn method. The hot headers went away. I restarted the engine several times after this. The timing was set at 12 degrees. It ran. I did not pull the distributor until I started having the problem I have now.

I'll have to drive a Dodge tomorrow but I'll look funny with my Chevy shirt on.

Originally posted by toolow 69C10
The last time I started it, the headers glowed red. I adjusted the rockers and this went away. I had been turning the engine to TDC at number 1. I would then roll the pushrod between my fingers and tightened the rocker arm nut until the pushrod did not spin. I then would go a half turn more. My nieghbor said I should only go a quarter turn. he said I was holding my valves open.So I readjusted the rockers using the quarter turn method. The hot headers went away. I restarted the engine several times after this. The timing was set at 12 degrees. It ran. I did not pull the distributor until I started having the problem I have now.

I'll have to drive a Dodge tomorrow but I'll look funny with my Chevy shirt on.

You're not saying that you are adjusting ALL the valves with #1 at TDC are you ?

No, I rotate it a quarter turn and adjust the next set.

well just make sure the other valve is wide open, ie #3 intake wide open you can set #3 exhaust, #3 exhaust wide open you can set #3 intake........this method has worked on every engine I have ever worked on