80 Series Distributor Replacement Issues (1 Viewer)

[willyd1]

Recently, I replaced the distributor on my 80 since it was leaking oil into the distributor cap. So I'm a novice and I made a novice move and, though the cap was marked, I took out the dizzy and turned the engine (I don't remember why I did this and I learned my lesson). So I ended up finding TDC by aligning the line on the pulley with 0* and aligning my distributor rotor with the #1 spark plug wire. And I got a timing light, and I'm at like 40 or 50* advance and the engine is running pretty rough, but it was running rough before as well. So I re-positioned my distributor to get closer to that 0* mark, but when I try to start the engine with the dizzy in the new position, it just won't start. I only moved it a tooth over clockwise, and aligned the rotor in the most advanced position, basically aligning with what was least advanced in the previous position.

I'm stumped -- can anyone help unravel this mystery? Or maybe I'm just missing something. I'm starting to think that the timing chain might be off or something.

 

[Fj80oregon]

You need to start over again and make sure your at TDC. Do you have the FSM? Did you jump the diagnostic terminal E1-T1 when checking timing?

 

[Malleus]

Download the manual, if you don't have one, and follow the instructions in the head section.

 

[willyd1]

You need to start over again and make sure your at TDC. Do you have the FSM? Did you jump the diagnostic terminal E1-T1 when checking timing?

I didn't jump the terminal when I was tracking 40* advance. I'll do that and see where I'm at

 

[mudgudgeon]

The distributor shaft and gear have alignment/ match marks.
Align the match marks, set crank at TDC, then slip the distributor in with marks aligned, and the adjusting bolt slot approximately centered over the bolt hole.
Rotor should be pointing roughly at terminal #1.
Start the car with jumper in the OBD diagnostic port. Then set timing with timing light.
If the engine won't start, you're probably 180⁰ off with the distributor.
Rotate the crank 360⁰ to TDC, reposition the distributor using the match marks again, and restart, set timing. Good to go


Edited for an extra 180⁰

 

[mudgudgeon]

Good pics here

Post in thread 'Timing Marks Won't Align' Timing Marks Won't Align - https://forum.ih8mud.com/threads/timing-marks-wont-align.1331362/post-15339156

 

[ppc]

If the engine won't start, you're probably 180⁰ off. Rotate the crank 180⁰ to TDC, reposition the distributor using the match marks again, and restart, set timing

I think you mean rotating the crank a full 360⁰, not 180⁰

 

[mudgudgeon]

I think you mean rotating the crank a full 360⁰, not 180⁰

Right you are. Good catch.

Edited above

 

[willyd1]

The distributor shaft and gear have alignment/ match marks.
Align the match marks, set crank at TDC, then slip the distributor in with marks aligned, and the adjusting bolt slot approximately centered over the bolt hole.
Rotor should be pointing roughly at terminal #1.
Start the car with jumper in the OBD diagnostic port. Then set timing with timing light.
If the engine won't start, you're probably 180⁰ off with the distributor.
Rotate the crank 360⁰ to TDC, reposition the distributor using the match marks again, and restart, set timing. Good to go


Edited for an extra 180⁰

Makes sense -- this is pretty much what I've done aside for aligning the distributor marks being aligned on the shaft match marks. The distributor I installed was the one linked below -- it doesn't have the marks on the shaft and gear like the original, so maybe there's something off with that. I might re-install the old one (it was working fine, just leaking a bit of oil inside the cap) to see if I just bought a bad distributor.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VVC3T7M?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

 

[mudgudgeon]

Makes sense -- this is pretty much what I've done aside for aligning the distributor marks being aligned on the shaft match marks. The distributor I installed was the one linked below -- it doesn't have the marks on the shaft and gear like the original, so maybe there's something off with that. I might re-install the old one (it was working fine, just leaking a bit of oil inside the cap) to see if I just bought a bad distributor.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00VVC3T7M?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title

Without the match marks, install the distributor so the rotor is pointing at terminal #1, with the adjusting slot centered over the bolt hole.
Should get you choose enough to start it, and set the timing

 

[willyd1]

Without the match marks, install the distributor so the rotor is pointing at terminal #1, with the adjusting slot centered over the bolt hole.
Should get you choose enough to start it, and set the timing

Got it - quick update: I tried everything all over again, set the engine to TDC, and aligned the distributor accordingly. Side note - I think I found out that the rotor turns counter clockwise while the engine turns clockwise, which was news to me. Once I reset the distributor, it turned on and ran fine for a few minutes. I jumped the terminal to TE1 and E1, and set the timing to about 10*. When I would get closer to 3*, the engine would start to shake and sputter like it was going to stall out.

After turning it off and restarting it, it will only start when the distributor is turned fully clockwise until it hits the bolt. But it runs rough and sounds like it's going to stall unless I turn the dizzy counter clockwise. But when I turn it counter clockwise to the bolt (about 10-15* advance I believe), it won't start. So I know this isn't right, but basically the only way to get it to run well right now is to start the engine at around 3* and then move it to 10-15* immediately after. Thanks for all your help so far, by the way.

 

[willyd1]

You need to start over again and make sure your at TDC. Do you have the FSM? Did you jump the diagnostic terminal E1-T1 when checking timing?

Per my update to mudgudgeon, I followed your advice here and started over and I'm definitely at a better spot so thank you!

 

[willyd1]

Per my update to mudgudgeon, I followed your advice here and started over and I'm definitely at a better spot so thank you!

Update for everyone. This is all just a stupid move on my part. I had to replace the electrical connector on the dizzy and I replaced it with the wires in the wrong order. No idea how it started up at all. But found the solution and learned from it, so there's something! Thanks again for all the help!