New distributor installation

[carprojects 10]

I'm going to install a new distributor in my engine. The engine is at TDC, so I need to know where the dist should be pointing (before accounting for timing). Does anyone know?

[bigperm2 10]

How you set it up, depends on the engine. But it should be at about 1:00. Some caps have the #1 wire labeled. you should set it with the rotor pointing at the #1 spot on the cap at TDC. If you want to try and account for the timing, move the motor to say 10 degrees BTDC, and then set the rotor to point exactly at the #1 spot on the cap. However, your car will start and run if it is in the ballpark, and you should set the timing with a light. Also, be sure you have it set at TDC on the compression stroke. Even though the crank is at TDC, unless you checked your cam, or checked for compression, there is a 50/50 chance it is at the exhaust stroke. http://www.mre-books.com/shopmanuals/firingorder.html

Edited July 20, 2010 by bigperm2
add

[70mstang 11]

Since the discussion included top dead center it reminded me that I needed to be sure my distributor was installed correctly too.

 

Does anyone know the best way to ensure your engine is at TDC before slipping in the distributor?

[carprojects 10]

Thanks. I have the older 302 style firing order 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. When I bought the engine it was positioned at TDC, but I couldn't see well enough in the spark plug hole to see the valves were seated fully or not. The valve cover and gasket are new and seem to be 'glued' probably due to new engine paint. I didn't want to tear the gaskets yanking them off.

 

By the way, if I wanted to start with say 10 degrees BTDC, which way do I turn the cap?

 

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Since the discussion included top dead center it reminded me that I needed to be sure my distributor was installed correctly too.

 

Does anyone know the best way to ensure your engine is at TDC before slipping in the distributor?

 

Pull the #1 plug and turn over eng. you will feel the comp stroke, now verify the TDC with crank bal marks.

[LoneWolf2U 136]

Thanks. I have the older 302 style firing order 1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. When I bought the engine it was positioned at TDC, but I couldn't see well enough in the spark plug hole to see the valves were seated fully or not. The valve cover and gasket are new and seem to be 'glued' probably due to new engine paint. I didn't want to tear the gaskets yanking them off.

 

By the way, if I wanted to start with say 10 degrees BTDC, which way do I turn the cap?

 

 

counter clockwise.

If you have verified it is at TDC and have a volt/ohm meter set to ohms you can static set the timing.

Hook one lead to dist side of coil and ground the other.

Rotate crank timing mark to 10*BTDC.

loosen the dist hold down bolt and turn dist till the guage reads 0.

tighten dist bolt.

Edited July 20, 2010 by Mach1Rider

[Pakrat 1,043]

Since I can't really add anything to the information you have already been given I'll issue just one word of caution. If you have an unknown rebuilt 302 you may not necessarily have a 302 firing order if it was rebuilt with a 351 CAM which is not uncommon at all. So if all seems right but something just ain't and it won't start you may need to try a 351 firing order. I have seen more than one person get stumped on this unknown issue so just keep it in the back of your head.

[carprojects 10]

Wasn't an unknown engine. I got the cam spec sheet (comp cam). It shows the firing order required, but thanks for the concern!!

[danno 128]

Maybe I am missing something, but if you line the timing mark on the front flywheel up exactly with the indicator ( attached to the block) isn't this TDC of cylinder #1 on the compression stroke? So you put the crank to this mark, and rotate the distributor so #1 cylinder is lined up with the rotor.

[Pakrat 1,043]

Maybe I am missing something, but if you line the timing mark on the front flywheel up exactly with the indicator ( attached to the block) isn't this TDC of cylinder #1 on the compression stroke? So you put the crank to this mark, and rotate the distributor so #1 cylinder is lined up with the rotor.

 

Not necessarily, the distributor rotates once for every 2 crankshaft revolutions, so it still shows TDC on the exhaust stroke also, thus the need to verify and the use of the term "being 180* out".