I pulled my the distributor on my 3FE (88 FJ62) to access the pushrod cover, which has a leaky gasket. Before pulling it, I carefully marked the rotor location with a Sharpie, as well as the rotational position of the distributor in its hole. Did the best I could to pull it straight out, no rotation. Stuck a wadded up paper towel down the hole while I worked on the pushrod cover to prevent debris from falling in.
Since I pulled it, I have removed the oil filter and rolled the truck back about 4' in neutral (taking it out of P and putting it back in P). Have not started it. When I drop the dizzy back in, the position in which both the gear aligns AND the tip drops into the oil pump is about 20 deg off from where it was when I pulled it. It seems there are only two ways it can go and drop all the way in - 180 deg apart from each other. Neither one is where it was originally.
What happened? Could either the oil pump or the gear in the engine have rotated?
Reading up on threads here, it seems I can rotate the oil pump with a long screwdriver to get back to where I can align the dizzy like it was. Is that enough, or do I have to align to TDC on #1? If the gear in the engine has not rotated, the dizzy's relationship to the engine should be the same as before if I just manually rotate the oil pump. My understanding is that the oil pump itself does not care about its rotational position, but the rotor-gear-engine rotational alignment has to be right to ensure correct timing, yes?
Since I pulled it, I have removed the oil filter and rolled the truck back about 4' in neutral (taking it out of P and putting it back in P). Have not started it. When I drop the dizzy back in, the position in which both the gear aligns AND the tip drops into the oil pump is about 20 deg off from where it was when I pulled it. It seems there are only two ways it can go and drop all the way in - 180 deg apart from each other. Neither one is where it was originally.
What happened? Could either the oil pump or the gear in the engine have rotated?
Reading up on threads here, it seems I can rotate the oil pump with a long screwdriver to get back to where I can align the dizzy like it was. Is that enough, or do I have to align to TDC on #1? If the gear in the engine has not rotated, the dizzy's relationship to the engine should be the same as before if I just manually rotate the oil pump. My understanding is that the oil pump itself does not care about its rotational position, but the rotor-gear-engine rotational alignment has to be right to ensure correct timing, yes?