Finished headgasket, need distributor clarification (1 Viewer)

[monteburns]

Well, we got it all buttoned up today. Took all day.

One really lame thing was that right when we were putting the positive battery connecter on the terminal, the blasted thing broke right off! Man that sucked, being so close and all. I'll post pix and write up my experience.

So here's the question. When I removed the distributor, I had the engine and 0" TDC per the FSM. The rotor was correctly pointing to #1.

When I followed the FSM on reinstallation of the distributor, it says to align the notches on the distributor gear and install in the head. Well, when the notches are aligned, is sure as heck wasn't pointing to #1! It was in a totally different position. Shouldn't it be pointing to plug 1 at TDC? What are those notches for anyway?

I stayed true to the FSM, but now the cruiser stumbles at idle and I can't get it running smooth at any distributor position. It dies at the most retarded position and it runs crappy both in the middle and advanced position.

Any advice?

 

[monteburns]

Well, I pulled the dist cap this morning and put the engine at 0 timing mark. Lo and behold, the rotor was pointing to the correct spot (right about 4:30).
I haven't had a chance to monkey with it much, so I'll get after it tonight and see what I come up with.

 

[Buckru]

Congrats on getting her buttoned up. This can be a daunting task but, in reality, it's not that bad. Thinking about it is worse than the actual task.

Buck

 

[Ruadhrigh]

as you install the dizzy the gears catch and rotate. my trick was to rotate the notches counter clockwise from each other (looking from the cap) so that when the gears engaged and started rotating it would end with the notches matching. HTH

 

[Beowulf]

I haven't had a chance to monkey with it much, so I'll get after it tonight and see what I come up with.

1 tooth off is a common issue after removing the dizzy. It appears to be due to the helical cut on the gears. You're close though, hang in there.

-B-

 

[hadji_85]

Just to clarify. The notches should match when it has attached o the helical gear on the camshaft. Not just when you push it in. Meaning the end installed result is with the notches matching? I notice the rotating and want to make sure.

as you install the dizzy the gears catch and rotate. my trick was to rotate the notches counter clockwise from each other (looking from the cap) so that when the gears engaged and started rotating it would end with the notches matching. HTH