Help with Dist Cap

Well , I want it to idle, and turned it until the vacum advance on the right, and the wire out the side stopped me from turning it..... In 1/4" incriments or less....no idle. Would changing the fan belt have changed something....as it almost idled before that....?

 

Yes: just as you said,.... at about 11 oclock with the marks at O TDC
Also at different times, while turning the rotor then restarting,, it back fired a few times...2 through the carb....1 through the exaust....?

 

When I got my jeep, the dang distributor was not setup right, the plug wires were in the wrong place, it ran but the timing was WAY far advanced, to the point the engine would ping because of pre-detonation, which was actually happening because of the timing, not because of bad fuel or other factors.

Here's what I did.

Pull the #1 spark plug out of the head.
Put a big ol socket on that crank pulley nut, and a big ol breaker bar on that.
With the electricals turned off, turn the engine with the wrench (the correct direction, have someone bump the starter and watch if you don't know which) while your thumb is covering the spark plug hole on ole #1.
When you feel air trying to push your thumb out of the hole, you're on #1's compression stroke.
At that point, you're good to go on lining up your 0-TDC mark, then drop in your distributor so the rotor is pointing towards the #1 spot on the cap.
Turn the distributor until the points make contact.
Put the plug back in, tighten down the distributor, and crank 'er over.

VROOM.

HTH

 

Ok: ....and Thanks....when you say...drop in the distributor, does that mean that I remove the dist buy pulling it out, and then putting it back in at the correct spot.
Or just twist it until it points to the right spot.
If pulling it out is what needs done, do I just loosen the hold down bolt, and then pull instead of twist, or something else.
Thanks in advance for all this help from all.

 

Well, that depends on whether or not the rotor is facing the right way for #1 plug wire on the cap when you get to TDC on #1.

The dist has a helical gear, so if you have to pull it out (i had assumed it was already out at some point, my bad) then you remove the retainer on the bolt you use to loosen it for adjustment, and gently twist the rotor while you lift up. You'll see which way it should turn because it will only lift up if you turn it the right way.

This is the rub... since you have to turn it about 1/5 of a turn to get the gear to unseat, when you adjust you have to turn it back like that before re-inserting, otherwise it won't line up where you expected it to (it will be 1/5 turn ahead of where it was when you lined it up).

Some experimentation may be necessary to get it to line up right if it's not already.

Here's the MOST IMPORTANT THING if you are removing the dist. Your dist drives your oil pump. Be ABSOLUTELY certain your dist is FULLY seated before you try to crank the engine over. You can make sure that it is seated by pressing down gently on the dist while you turn the engine by hand with the 'big wrench' method I mentioned. If it's not all the way in, it will *clunk* down into its spot when the oil pump and dist shaft are aligned.

Then, I'd suggest once it's in place, pull the coil wire off and try to turn the engine with the starter and watch to make sure your oil pressure light goes out or your gauge starts reading pressure if so equipped.

You certainly do NOT want to run the engine if the dist is not fully engaged to the oil pump.

NOTE: IF YOUR ROTOR IS ALREADY POINTING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION WHEN #1 IS AT TDC, THERE IS NO NEED TO REMOVE THE DIST AND REALIGN.

I think the thing that may have been missing above is that the timing mark lines up at 0 TDC quite a few times before #1 is at TDC. That's why I said the bit about pulling out the #1 plug and checking for the compression stroke, because when it starts blowing air out the hole, the next time the line is on the 0 TDC mark, that's #1 TDC.

Good luck, wish you were nearby, I'd come by and help.

 

Well, I will hopefully not have to remove it....so. I get the plug out and feel for compression on #1, then look at the rotor....it should be pointing to the first plug on the dist cap. , then move the engine a bit more until the marks get TDC O

Then replace the cap, and start the engine......?

If the rotor is not pointing to plug #1 on the cap....then pull out the dist. and put it back in so that the rotor is pointing to plug #1 ....then line up TDCO and start.


Right....?

 

OK ....one more thing, if I put a stick into the spark plug hole on number one....and wait till the stick comes out as far as it can will that be right.
I tried the air blow deal, before....only once, and the amout of time to actually know what was happening may have been to short as my wife was bumping the engine with the starter.

 

Thinkin' outside the box!

That's GREATNESS, lynn!

rkusa- the stick is inadvisable, because (especially if bumping the starter) you can end up damaging the engine.

Also, the piston comes to the top of the cylinder twice. One one of those is "Top Dead Center". the other is the top of the exhaust stroke.

 

Hmmm. OK, well, I am turning it with a ratchet. When it went to the top and the brass rod came to the surface....it looks like this.


But, since it could be dangerous, and wrong do to the 2 times at top I'll try again

 

Yep.

Really it doesn't matter where the rotor points, so long as you can put your first spark plug in that position and still get the points to close at 0 TDC on #1...

See, as you rotate the crank, all the pistons are going up and down at the same time, but in different phases. Only one fires at a time, so the key thing is that compression stroke, because that is what TDC is noting. The mark will come around many times before TDC on #1, hence why I mentioned the thing about feeling the air come out.

I *really* like lynn's suggestion, especially if you're doing this solo. It's a little more work, but easy to ascertain when you're getting the compression stroke on #1, because it will roll easy (no resistance because the other 5 cylinders aren't making compression) and then a little resistance as you come in to compression on teh #1.

So if using that method, slowly push like lynn says until you feel some resistance building, then stop, put on the brakes and take it out of gear and use your wrench to line up the mark and set up your dist.

I think maybe this weekend if you're still having trouble with this, I might be able to make a video and put it up on youtube to demonstrate what I'm talking about.

 

OK....Now, when air is pushed out of the cyl. it looks like this....about 11 oclock.

So...should I remome and change the position of the dist. or change the wire on the cap...or what....?

 

Also I just read your answer gear head. I may have to move the wires around a bit.... I really appreciate everyones help here. I can't say much more and will try all of it until it works or seems like it never will.

 

Sparky: Hmmm I don't know, and have no idea how to check that. But, I will if you tell me....