hey guys...I was wondering if anyone could understand this problem...I am working on making the 5.0 run better in my 88 LX. I was noticing one day though, the distributor is pointing almost at a 90 degree angle to the fender. Most I have seen point towards the rad and a little more to the front drivers headlight. So I start playing with the car and I put the engine to TDC as per the crankshaft pulley (0 degrees).
When I took off the dist. to check where the rotor was it was pointing almost 180 degrees of where #1 piston says it should fire!!! I took out the dist. and set it to have the rotor point at number #1 piston on the distributor cap...it wouldn't start and a little backfire happened...so I set the dist. back to the way it was previously, set timing back to 10 degrees BTDC and car started.
Now I am a knowledgeable guy when it comes to cars so I think it is one of these things. BTW, I checked the wires on the dist. and they are in correct firing order for engine....
- different cam-does anyone know of any cam swaps that will cause the dist. to be like this?? (not quite 180 dgrees off but almost)
- timing gears are jumped-but why would it run still?? (puzzled!!)
- someone put in the cam upside down (timing mark on top of cam gear instead of bottom)-would the car still run somewhat ok here?? I hope no one was this stupid becuase they shouldn't be working on engines then...
I am puzzled over this and most things I look at relating to somewhat of topics say nothing about this. Anyone got any ideas here??? or somewhere to start?? I am going to pull the cover and check the gears but it is getting winter here and time to almost put 'er away...