FJ80 Distributor - How to install

[Vas]

Greetings Gents,

I have a distributor to put in.
The service manual says to align camshafts to double dots and balancer pulley to 0 degrees.
It then states to align notches on the distributor and plug it in.

I have two questions:
1. The distributor rotates while being pushed in, due to the helical nature of the gears (both distributor gear and camshaft gear), so how do I know that I plugged it in right? - I simply noted how the distributor shaft needs to appear in relation to the distributor cap and aligned it; I think that's correct, and this is more of a guide to others rather than a question.

2. The other question (which is actually a question), is this: With distributor installed, it appears that the distributor arm is about to rotate off spark plug #6. Service manual however pictures the installed distributor arm pointing to spark plug #1. From theoretical considerations, at 0 degrees, where should the distributor arm point to?

3. I felt brave and disassembled the distributor to "clean" it (I like cleaning) and when I was putting it back together, I noticed that there is room to play in terms of bolting the parts back, in other words, you can bolt them slightly displaced. Is this important?

Thank you all very much,

 

[Alleycats]

So it seems like you need to pay careful attention when you remove the old distr. while the engine is @ TDC #1 compr. stroke and install new disrt. in reverse order.

 

[sbman]

I like to use a paint marker to mark the TDC on the lip of the distributor before I remove it, so that i can see that it generally lines up when the installation is completed.

 

[BILT4ME]

If when installed, the rotor is pointing at #6 when you install it, you are "180* out". This ASSUMES you are at TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke of #1 (both valves are closed.)

When it is installed, at TDC, the rotor should point at #1 plug position on the distributor cap.

Do you have the valve cover off? If so, this may be easier to fix. If not, you must find TDC on the compression stroke on #1.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, you need more help and should find a local Mud member to help out.

 

[baselfish]

indeed...are you saying you pulled the dizzy out w/out chalking / scratching / marking its position on the block or manually setting then crank to TDC or also noticing the orientation of the rotor.

if so it indeed might be RTH or take it into a shop to get your dizzy oriented properly snd timing set.

bf

 

[Izeloz]

I would like to chip in my .02. I have been working on my '91. I DID mark my distributor and the mounting for it when I took it out. However, we all occasionally have our absent minded or stupid moments. The problem is, I totally forgot I did that when I really started cleaning things. I took off the timing cover to clean and paint and replace the gasket and must've rotated the motor a half dozen times. THEN I decided to set the valves (cold from "The right way to do it wrong" thread). Again, more motor rotation. Then I put a new o-ring on the dizzy shaft and went to put it back in. Oops. I rotated the motor until the timing marks on the flywheel lined up (0 degrees and 7 degrees for the two marks, right?) and tried putting it back in in such a way as to line the rotor up as closely as possible with cylinder number one plug wire on the cap. Am I going to run into trouble as well, or is this an acceptable way to do it? I was already concerned and reading this thread has made me even more concerned.

 

[Vas]

If when installed, the rotor is pointing at #6 when you install it, you are "180* out". This ASSUMES you are at TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke of #1 (both valves are closed.)

When it is installed, at TDC, the rotor should point at #1 plug position on the distributor cap.

...you must find TDC on the compression stroke on #1...

BILT4ME, is TDC actually two positions ("..find TDC on compression.."), not one, so I would rotate crank one more revolution (to set to 0 again) and then attempt to insert distributor again, this time it's arm shall land on #1 spark plug?

As for marking things with paint and all that, that's great to check yourself, but if you have a manual and this fine thread (thank you all for replies), I'd rather assemble by the book. Besides, this is after an engine rebuild, so I didn't really have any choice; everything came off.

 

[Vas]

I think I understand, my valve cover is already on, so my camshaft dots must be 180 degrees from each other, I can't see, I simply assumed that there is only one TDC, but there are two: 1. TDC (I just exhaled all the exhaust) 2. TDC (ready to fire).
So I need to rotate camshaft one revolution and then reinsert my "dizzy".
I tried editing my snappy reply about paint, but couldn't do it. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of activity on this thread, you don't know how much I appreciate a helping hand in this manner. Thank you. Hopefully it will be helpful to later visitors.
Please feel free to confirm.

 

[BILT4ME]

I think I understand, my valve cover is already on, so my camshaft dots must be 180 degrees from each other, I can't see, I simply assumed that there is only one TDC, but there are two: 1. TDC (I just exhaled all the exhaust) 2. TDC (ready to fire).
So I need to rotate camshaft one revolution and then reinsert my "dizzy".
I tried editing my snappy reply about paint, but couldn't do it. I was pleasantly surprised by the level of activity on this thread, you don't know how much I appreciate a helping hand in this manner. Thank you. Hopefully it will be helpful to later visitors.
Please feel free to confirm.

Yes. That should work. The best way to tell it to pull #1 spark plug and hold your hand over the hole or something to "seal" the hole a bit. Then as you rotate the engine you will feel the pressure build. That will be the compression stroke. Then bring it up to the 0' mark on the harmonic balancer. If you miss it and go past the mark, do NOT turn the engine backwards. Go forward two more turns to realign.

The four strokes are:
Intake (down)
Compression (up)
Power (down)
Exhaust (up)

Good luck!

 

[BILT4ME]

I would like to chip in my .02. I have been working on my '91. I DID mark my distributor and the mounting for it when I took it out. However, we all occasionally have our absent minded or stupid moments. The problem is, I totally forgot I did that when I really started cleaning things. I took off the timing cover to clean and paint and replace the gasket and must've rotated the motor a half dozen times. THEN I decided to set the valves (cold from "The right way to do it wrong" thread). Again, more motor rotation. Then I put a new o-ring on the dizzy shaft and went to put it back in. Oops. I rotated the motor until the timing marks on the flywheel lined up (0 degrees and 7 degrees for the two marks, right?) and tried putting it back in in such a way as to line the rotor up as closely as possible with cylinder number one plug wire on the cap. Am I going to run into trouble as well, or is this an acceptable way to do it? I was already concerned and reading this thread has made me even more concerned.

This appears to be correct. From a "feel" make sure the valves are closed on #1 when the dizzy points at #1.

 

[Rwhat]

Just turn the crank pully to 0* TDC, align the distributor notch to the distributor gear and insert it. The distributor gear will turn a slight bit as it installed.