Distributor and timing

This site may earn a commission from merchant affiliate
links, including eBay, Amazon, Skimlinks, and others.

1962fj40

1962fj40

10 Year 15 Year 20 Year
Joined
Jul 1, 2004
Threads
105
Messages
468
Location
Phoenix, AZ
Website
fj40bugcatcher.dyndns.org
Been having an issue with my rig running bad and just noticed that I was not able to get the timing mark in window using timing light. Checked flywheel TDC with rotor and discovered it was 180 out. I'm pretty sure I had that set right years ago. Is there a way a distributor can become out of alignment like that while it's on the engine?

Robert
1962 FJ40
 
Sure, the ozone created from the points causes things to corrode; while the distributor gear can remain synced with the camshaft and engaged with the oil pump.

Remember, that the cam can usually spin the distributor rotor, but make 100% sure that the tang on the bottom of the its shaft is engaged with the oil pump if you even slightly adjust the distributor clamp.
 
You do understand the flywheel turns twice for every one turn of the cam & distributor right? When you rotate to TDC, it needs to be on the compression stroke for cylinder # 1. Rotate the flywheel 360 and see where the rotor is pointing.
 
Dizzy said:
Sure, the ozone created from the points causes things to corrode; while the distributor gear can remain synced with the camshaft and engaged with the oil pump.
Click to expand...

No points so no worries... The rest makes no sense.

Remember, that the cam can usually spin the distributor rotor, but make 100% sure that the tang on the bottom of the its shaft is engaged with the oil pump if you even slightly adjust the distributor clamp.
Click to expand...

I'm pretty sure the cam opens the points (If I had them) and it doesn't spin the rotor. And thanks for the reminder on the oil pump.
 
Steamer said:
You do understand the flywheel turns twice for every one turn of the cam & distributor right? When you rotate to TDC, it needs to be on the compression stroke for cylinder # 1. Rotate the flywheel 360 and see where the rotor is pointing.
Click to expand...

Yes, but thanks for asking.
 
Just trying to get clear on this. You say it's 180 deg out and it's running?
 
Steamer said:
Just trying to get clear on this. You say it's 180 deg out and it's running?
Click to expand...
I will have to double check that tomorrow. I was in a bit of a hurry earlier and I might of not had #1 cylinder at TDC. But at any rate, I had something weird going on with the timing as stated in my OP.

In a nutshell, I couldn't get the timing mark in the window although idle sounded ok and it would revup ok. Driving though it would spit through the carb and stall easily. Maybe I just had the distributor lined up wrong where it was on #5 or #4???
 
A common mistake is to put it at TDC on the exhaust stroke instead of compression which has the rotor pointing 180 deg out.
The timing mark can be be elusive at times. I used white paint to enhance my 7 degree bb, and the TDC line on the flywheel. I also painted a line about an inch long before the TDC mark and another after the bb. Makes finding them a lot easier.
 
Steamer said:
A common mistake is to put it at TDC on the exhaust stroke instead of compression which has the rotor pointing 180 deg out.
The timing mark can be be elusive at times. I used white paint to enhance my 7 degree bb, and the TDC line on the flywheel. I also painted a line about an inch long before the TDC mark and another after the bb. Makes finding them a lot easier.
Click to expand...

Actually, I just painted a nice long line on mine a couple of days ago. I should elaborate more. I can see the white line, but only when I advance the distributor to it's Max rotation and the engine is about to stall.
 
Advancing is rotating the dizzy counter clockwise, correct? Usually advancing raises the rpm.
 
The camshaft gear turns the distributor shaft, and in turn the rotor. I was suggesting that the gear likely didn't jump on its teeth becoming out of alignment in that manner. If you distributor is like mine (which it sounds like it is not), you might have some corrosion issues which could impact the centrifugal advance or breaker plate bearings, making the timing off a bit, so it runs bad, but not 180 distributor degrees.

Are you measuring the cap relative to the rotor, or the rotor relative to the engine block.
 
Steamer said:
Advancing is rotating the dizzy counter clockwise, correct? Usually advancing raises the rpm.
Click to expand...

My bad, yes, but as I mentioned the timing mark was only visible when going to the max rotation clockwise (retarded). It was so far out it was pulling on the steel vacuum advance line.
 
Dizzy said:
The camshaft gear turns the distributor shaft, and in turn the rotor. I was suggesting that the gear likely didn't jump on its teeth becoming out of alignment in that manner. If you distributor is like mine (which it sounds like it is not), you might have some corrosion issues which could impact the centrifugal advance or breaker plate bearings, making the timing off a bit, so it runs bad, but not 180 distributor degrees.
Click to expand...

Thanks for clarifying.

Are you measuring the cap relative to the rotor, or the rotor relative to the engine block.
Click to expand...

cap relative to the rotor
 
I have had an aftermarket dizzy shaft bearing seize and spun the whole assembly changing the timing and causing a bad running condition, backfires and hard starts. Took a bit to figure that out.
 
Well I had a chance to double check everything today and it was not 180 out, but as @4Cruisers commented it was off as tooth. Still running rough, but it's not stalling when I drive so progress 😁😁😁

Discovered a severely cracked distributor cap, so I'm pretty sure it's causing issues.

Robert
 
Replaced the distributor cap and plug wires (found a bad wire). Seems to be running much better, but I have to have the distributor advanced to the max as well as the Octane selector. Going to recheck the distributor placement again. Is there anything else that could be making it hard to time correctly?

Btw, what position is the #1 plug wire on the distributor cap normally? Mine is about 10 o'clock viewed from the passenger side.
 
Dizzy said:
So you are suggesting that the distributor diaphragm is in the way of turning it fully? Can you post photos?
Click to expand...

Actually the vacuum line of the distributor is hitting against the oil filter spout. In order to even see my timing mark I've had to bend the vacuum line. I can get a photo of this later today.
 
The hardline vacuum line never made sense to me if the dizzy ever needed to be rotated for timing. I guess it being a small diameter it would be flexible enough to bend as needed. Probably all the pics I’ve seen of them they are looking pretty misshaped, lol. I’m a ways from hooking up my ‘63 system but I’m going to think about a hardline/rubber hose combo of sorts. Not OEM but neither am I after many decades :hillbilly:
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Share this page

Back
Top Bottom