Distributor question

[TJ1978]

So I watched this video and followed along as he did it. I even went back out and did it again so I could take pictures. Question(s)

when I was turning my engine over my rotor was facing towards a different point than in the video before meshing completely, why?

now that it is meshed fully. When I put the cap back on in which does it go as far that part the black clip attaches to? does that part of the cap line up with where the wires exit?

It seems to have some grooves or indentions on the bottom for cap to attach.

Along with the above, where is the 1 plug wire go?

starting:


After turning engine over to fully mesh

Where the cap attaches?

Cap is back on but which way does it sit? And where is 1 at?

 

[Wes Harden]

Ok the rotor point of aim, changes as the dist seats be cause of the shape of the gears. The oil pump drive slot can keep the distributor from seating until it is aligned.
In your pictures the cap is clocked wrong. I want to see the vac advance on the left like it is, and the cap wire block on the right perpendicular to the crank center line.
What I would like you to do is remove number one plug, the cap, and roll the engine over till you are on #1 top dead center compression stroke. Then see where the rotor is pointing. I want to the rotor point at #1 cylinder, or between # 1 & 2# cylinder.

Edit the cap should have a tab to index to the dist body make sure you line that up.

 

[TJ1978]

Ok I turned the engine until I felt the air blow on my finger where spark plug 1 is. and here is where the rotor ended up

if I keep turning air keeps coming out from that open plug slot. Is that correct

 

[Wes Harden]

that is a picture of the cap, the rotor is under that

 

[Wes Harden]

Line up the marks on the dampener and timing cover. Did you check them when you installed the timing cover?

 

[TJ1978]

Line up the marks on the dampener and timing cover. Did you check them when you installed the timing cover?

Yes I check when cover was installed.

 

[Wes Harden]

so where is the rotor pointing now

 

[TJ1978]

I keep turning to get the dampener to line up 0 with timing tab 0 and here is where the rotor sets

 

[Wes Harden]

It will run there. Some SBC where timed with the rotor pointing straight front. Make #1 wire tower, the first tower counterclockwise to the tip of the rotor.
Put the cap on indexed to the dist and take a pic please.

 

[centexk5]

Take rotor cap off. Set number one cylinder to TDC. Mark the distributor and block where the rotor is facing. Put cap on. Rotate distributor to make the nearest point line up to the mark. Put #1 cylinder plug wire on. It really doesn’t matter which one #1 is as long as the rest of the wires in the firing order are in the correct orientation.

 

[mrk5]

Sometimes I mark the body of the distributor where the rotor is if I'm worried about getting the right terminal.

 

[TJ1978]

I may have screwed up with the picture of the distributor. I didn’t notice the tab on the cap that fits that slot...
Cap is in that slot now

 

[mrk5]

There's #1

 

[Wes Harden]

yep looking good, thats the post I want you use. turn the dist base just a touch clockwise.

 

[TJ1978]

Ok it’s lined with the crank shaft.

 

[TJ1978]

Then set the up wires like this

Copper anti seize or aluminum or none on plug threads?

 

[1-ton]

When I drop a distributor in I rotate the rotor one tooth back counter clockwise from where the number one wire is because the distributor will rotate clockwise as you are dropping it in. After I drop the distributor in, I use a remote starter switch to spin the engine while holding down on the distributor so it can drop into the oil pump shaft. Then I start the whole compression stroke number one line-up 0 degree process again to double check the distributor is in correct,

 

[Wes Harden]

Yes wire like that. It'll run. You shouldn't need to move the dist at all. for install start up.

 

[Wes Harden]

Yup this is the double check photos we are seeing.

 

[TJ1978]

Correct?