Sorry for the long post. I thought I should share my distributor replacement lessons since I have become quite good at it after starting out clueless. Feel free to add if there is something else. When I did my research, I didn't find anything that told me to keep an eye on the oil pressure.
Ken Romer’s Guide to swapping Distributors:
1) Take off the old distributor cap and mark where the Rotor is pointed.
2) Remove the Old Distributor.
3) Install the new distributor with the rotor pointing in the same orientation. The number 1 and 5 (from distributor cap) should be closest to the engine.
4) Tighten the hold down clamp enough that the distributor moves (clockwise – counterclockwise), but it take a small effort.
5) Cable up the spark plug wires according to the proper firing order.
6) When starting the engine make sure oil pressure is present, if not stop and check sender wire. If sender wire is still connected. Stop and check orientation of distributor (All the way down?) The bottom part that looks like a screw driver needs to engage the oil pump. If everything else still looks good, but no oil pressure. Stop and ask for help.
7) Once engine is started, set timing per specs of dizzy *advance/no advance). It pays to have a timing light with the advanced function. Set timing without vacuum hose connected to distributor. The 2F center (dead on) is 7 deg Avanced. If you want to set it to 12 deg advance, then you set the timing light to 5.
8) Tighten down the dizzy checking timing. Make sure its tight.
9) Connect Vacuum Hose to Carb. Check timing. If it changes, then you may have a carb problem.
10) Keep your eye on the oil pressure in case the dizzy did not get mounted right.
11) After 100 miles or so, check to make sure timing is still set and the hold down clamp is tight.
Doing it right takes about 15 minutes. I had to do it repeatedly for other reasons (oil leak) and was able to become very proficient.
What do you do if you take out the dizzy before you mark where the rotor is pointed, or the engine position changes?
• The important thing to note is that the timing mark AND the flywheel travel around twice during each cycle. You want to get the rotor set at Top Dead Center of the engine (vs bottom).
• Take out Spark Plug #1. Using a remote starter, barley kick the engine until you feel air rushing out. Disconnect the remote starter and put the spark plug back in..
• Using a prybar slowly hand turn the engine watching for the timing mark. Move it to dead on. Place the dizzy down with the rotor pointed to where spark plug wire connects in the dizzy (between plugs 3 & 4 in the wirewall).
• Connect as shown above.
I took the dizzy out and set the timing mark by hand and couldn’t figure out at first why it was backfiring and would not start. That was because I was at Bottom Dead Center (180 deg out). That’s why you need to take out the spark plug.
Check for oil leaks after driving on the highway for a bit. I had a leak coming out the base of the dizzy (mounts to block). The O ring was too big and would not fit down the hole. I tried several different solutions and finally cut a gasket to fit. So far so good.
Other items:
• If it cranks and cranks but no go, check for spark. Any easy way is to have your timing light hooked up and on. If there is spark, the light will cycle. If not, then check the electrical “stuff”
• You may need to modify your hold down clamp if your putting in a different dizzy than a stock 2F to ensure the oil pump is ingaged.
• MAKE SURE THERE IS OIL PRESSURE. My sender wire broke when I pulled the old dizzy out so I was not able to monitor the oil pressure. Turns out the dizzy did not engage the oil pump and my engine seized due to the Rod Bearings going dry. MAKE SURE THERE IS OIL PRESSURE. Do not proceed if there isn’t any.
• If you want to make sure the oil sender works. Break the handle off of a long screw driver, put it in a drill. With the key in the on (Power the gauges) and someone watching the pressure, place the screwdriver into the oil pump slot and turn on the drill. This will create oil pressure and is also known as priming the oil pump.
Ken Romer’s Guide to swapping Distributors:
1) Take off the old distributor cap and mark where the Rotor is pointed.
2) Remove the Old Distributor.
3) Install the new distributor with the rotor pointing in the same orientation. The number 1 and 5 (from distributor cap) should be closest to the engine.
4) Tighten the hold down clamp enough that the distributor moves (clockwise – counterclockwise), but it take a small effort.
5) Cable up the spark plug wires according to the proper firing order.
6) When starting the engine make sure oil pressure is present, if not stop and check sender wire. If sender wire is still connected. Stop and check orientation of distributor (All the way down?) The bottom part that looks like a screw driver needs to engage the oil pump. If everything else still looks good, but no oil pressure. Stop and ask for help.
7) Once engine is started, set timing per specs of dizzy *advance/no advance). It pays to have a timing light with the advanced function. Set timing without vacuum hose connected to distributor. The 2F center (dead on) is 7 deg Avanced. If you want to set it to 12 deg advance, then you set the timing light to 5.
8) Tighten down the dizzy checking timing. Make sure its tight.
9) Connect Vacuum Hose to Carb. Check timing. If it changes, then you may have a carb problem.
10) Keep your eye on the oil pressure in case the dizzy did not get mounted right.
11) After 100 miles or so, check to make sure timing is still set and the hold down clamp is tight.
Doing it right takes about 15 minutes. I had to do it repeatedly for other reasons (oil leak) and was able to become very proficient.
What do you do if you take out the dizzy before you mark where the rotor is pointed, or the engine position changes?
• The important thing to note is that the timing mark AND the flywheel travel around twice during each cycle. You want to get the rotor set at Top Dead Center of the engine (vs bottom).
• Take out Spark Plug #1. Using a remote starter, barley kick the engine until you feel air rushing out. Disconnect the remote starter and put the spark plug back in..
• Using a prybar slowly hand turn the engine watching for the timing mark. Move it to dead on. Place the dizzy down with the rotor pointed to where spark plug wire connects in the dizzy (between plugs 3 & 4 in the wirewall).
• Connect as shown above.
I took the dizzy out and set the timing mark by hand and couldn’t figure out at first why it was backfiring and would not start. That was because I was at Bottom Dead Center (180 deg out). That’s why you need to take out the spark plug.
Check for oil leaks after driving on the highway for a bit. I had a leak coming out the base of the dizzy (mounts to block). The O ring was too big and would not fit down the hole. I tried several different solutions and finally cut a gasket to fit. So far so good.
Other items:
• If it cranks and cranks but no go, check for spark. Any easy way is to have your timing light hooked up and on. If there is spark, the light will cycle. If not, then check the electrical “stuff”
• You may need to modify your hold down clamp if your putting in a different dizzy than a stock 2F to ensure the oil pump is ingaged.
• MAKE SURE THERE IS OIL PRESSURE. My sender wire broke when I pulled the old dizzy out so I was not able to monitor the oil pressure. Turns out the dizzy did not engage the oil pump and my engine seized due to the Rod Bearings going dry. MAKE SURE THERE IS OIL PRESSURE. Do not proceed if there isn’t any.
• If you want to make sure the oil sender works. Break the handle off of a long screw driver, put it in a drill. With the key in the on (Power the gauges) and someone watching the pressure, place the screwdriver into the oil pump slot and turn on the drill. This will create oil pressure and is also known as priming the oil pump.
