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How do you install an distributor for intial starting ? I set the timing mark to zero on the compression stroke. Next I mark the number 1 position on the distributor cap and body. Next I drop the distributor in. Where should the rotor point ? Should it be pointing to Number 1 cylinder ?
Any help would be appreciated. Old lady is at work so I'm heading to the garage.
:whacked: ..Yeah right...:whacked: .....Nice try Charlie......:LOL: :LOL:......you better get youself a repair manual and open it to page .."1"..(one)...**)
By the way the distributor is an HEI. and the engine newly rebuilt.
Yes, the rotor should point to the number one lead, then advance it by about a 1/4 of an inch counter clockwise.
might help to know your semptoms the ditributor may not be the prob..btw check in the forum several post one just 2 days ago about setting time...thanx dom
Oil primed and oil pressure reads alright. Have been cranking on it all day. It spits and sputters but never starts. Have pulled the distributor out and retimed it. If I turn the distributor back I get a loud backfire so I assume I'm getting fire. Working the throttle I can see gas going in. The distributor is a HEI that I hooked up to iginition hot so I could have 12 volts. I had this engine running before. The last thing I did was change the water pump but I don't see how this would affect anything.
I bought a used block and had it cleaned , checked and cam bearings installed. Nothing was done to the crank or pistons except for new rings and bearings. I replaced the timing chain , oil pump, intake, carbureator , fuel pump, water pump, distributor, plug wires and plugs. I also replaced the cam with a Lunati, I got old heads that were ported and polished and added new valves and roller rockers. I ran headers back to a new exhaust and installed a new radiator and electric fan. It ran before why not now ?
Are you sure you set the rockers correctly? Are the wires in proper firing order? 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2? Looking at the top of the distributor, reconcile the order clockwise. Try advancing the timing by turning distributor another 1/4-1/2 inch counter clockwise.
Pretty sure I'm on number 1 compression stroke. ( stuck a piece of tissue in number 1 plug hole and cranked over engine until it blew out.) Are all number one positions in the same spot on a distributor cap ? Do you think the carb could cause this ? Its an Edelbrock 750 with a mechanical choke. I've just installed guages so I could have a tach and vacuum guage to tune it with.
Please give me list of thigs to try tommorrow.
Wait a minute. NO. The number one wire can be placed anywhere you want to place it. What determines where you need to install the wire on the cap is directly related or where the rotor is pointing when the #1 piston is at tdc on compression stroke.Quote:
Originally posted by toolow 69C10
Are all number one positions in the same spot on a distributor cap ?
So, with the air blowing out of the #1 spark plug hole, and the mark on the balancer poiniting at the zero mark on the timing mark on the timng chain cover, you take note of where the rotor is pointing and you have to have the distributor cap off for this, then place the cap on and place the number one wire to the spot that the rotor was pointing, then advance it 1/4-1/2 inch ccounter clockwise.
If you do not like to where the rotor is pointing, you need to remove the distributor and stick a long screw driver into the distributor hole and turn the oil pump drive shaft to such a position where you are happy. For instance, the vacuum advance pod may interfere with the fire wall, the intake, or a bracket. Likewise, the plug wires are usually cut at a length where the number one wire needs to be aiming towards the front left hand headlight. So, with the #1 piston at TDC, I would try and have the rotor pointing in that direction.
yeah, like Streets said, and you do have a blue cap, yes?
Thats the way I set it. It does seem like when I turn it back counter clockwise it rumbles more like it wants to start. I can only turn it back about an inch before the coil on the cap hits the firewall. I can remedy this like you said by moving the oil pump shaft and reinstalling the distributor. I'm going to try again tommorrow to get this going. If I hook a timing light up while I crank it over will I get a reading so I know where the timing is at ?
Thanks
No no no, wait.!! Just move the number one wire over one post on the distributor in the counterclockwise rotation, and all the others accordingly.Quote:
Originally posted by toolow 69C10
It does seem like when I turn it back counter clockwise it rumbles more like it wants to start. I can only turn it back about an inch before the coil on the cap hits the firewall. I can remedy this ............
By doing this you will have advanced your timing some 45 degrees which will be about 25 too much so then you will be able to rotate the distributor clockwise 25 degrees which will be perfect.
:CRY:
Thanks I'll do that even though I'm getting really good at pulling it out. I have attached a picture of this distributor for your viewing pleasure.
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.:CRY: :CRY: :CRY: :CRY: :CRY: :CRY: :CRY: :CRY:
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.
You're not saying that you are adjusting ALL the valves with #1 at TDC are you ?Quote:
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.
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
Viking,
Could you explain it a little better. I adjust both intake and exhaust valves at once. Like when number 6 is a rocking, I adjust both valves on number 1. How far do you rotate it bfore you adjust the other valve?
hmmmm, I'll try, pick any cylinder.......we'll say #4......as you are watching both valve springs rotate the engine, (normal direction) with a ratchet untill one or the other is fully compressed (open) now you adjust/set the OTHER one, mark it some way to keep up with your progress, rotate again (always the same way) till the one you just set is fully compressed (open) now set the other, mark it and go to another cylinder, order does NOT matter as long as you do them all..................now since there is some question as to if you have been adjusting correctly :HMMM: I would pull and check ALL of your pushrods as you are setting and see how many you have bent........good thing is they don't cost much.........good luck.Quote:
Originally posted by toolow 69C10
Viking,
Could you explain it a little better. I adjust both intake and exhaust valves at once. Like when number 6 is a rocking, I adjust both valves on number 1. How far do you rotate it bfore you adjust the other valve?
It's starting to sound like I just need to tear this engine back down and start over.:CRY: :CRY: :CRY:
Try what Viking says to do, it wont hurt anything, if it does not run then, start over.
I'll work on it Wed. and Thurs. and post again . I'll let the forum know what progress I make. Thanks for all the help' especially the geezers group.:LOL:
Quote:
Originally posted by toolow 69C10
It's starting to sound like I just need to tear this engine back down and start over.:CRY: :CRY: :CRY:
Before going that far,
Start at the timing chain and make sure your marks are correct
I will look Wed. Does any one run the two piece timing chain cover and does it make checking the timing sprocket alignment easier ?
After talking to a couple guys at work they suggested unhooking my tach, they said it could be bad causing this. Ever hear of that ?
After reading all this Ill chime in, Sounds to me like you have your timing chain screwed up, thats whats causing it to pop through the carb, I have been through all of this with numerous times,it ended up being my timing chain once. I doubt its your timing, if you have been moving it and tried it everywhere then i think it would have fired. Are you flooding this thing? thats something else you should look into. Yes two piece timing covers are the best, makes cam changes easy and makes checking your timing chain really easy, your most likely gonna have to pull this motor back apart, drop the pan and pull the timing chain cover off, make sure your marks are aligned although i run mine at 12 and 12 instead of 12 and 6. Bad news is i hope you havent been cranking all day like you said, if so i dont know how well that cams gonna hold up, thats an easy way to destroy one. If you have spark, and your valves are adjusted right then im gonna go with timing chain. what kind of cam is that? solid? hydraulic? roller? how are you setting your valves? I use the cap, when the rotor comes around and points at the number one plug wire(point on the cap) then adjust number one intake and exhaust, then turn your crank to the next wire( or point on cap) and adjust that cylinder (8) then 4-3-6-5-7-2 etc. Well keep everyone posted on your progress. good luck
All right, I worked on this today.
I replaced my hot wire going to the distributor with one I order. It had the GM plug so I could plug it in more securely.
I reset the distributor with # 1 at TDC on compression stroke.
The rotor points at # 1 cylinder. I also lubed the advance while I had it off.
I checked the gap on all my plugs and they are at .045
I checked firing order 18436572 clockwise on cap.
I bought a new timing light because I thought the old one was bad. When I hooked it up to number 1 sparkplug wire and crank the engine the light is erratic. I do not see my timing marks.
So I hooked it up to plug wire # 3 the light worked perfectly and there were my timing marks.
What does this mean ? and how do I fix it ?
Thanks:HMMM: :HMMM: :HMMM:
So I'm going to move my number 1 plug to the number 3 on the cap. If it runs there fine, but I'll still tear it down to fix it right. This is a project so I have time to do it at my leisure.
I begining to think the timing chain has jumped a tooth or two as some of you have pointed out earlier. What causes this ?, I had a new double roller chain and gears. I would also like suggestions on what brand and design to replace it with ? and any suggestions on the proper way to install the new one.
Thanks:confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: :confused: