Is my distributor in right?

Question

Here's what I did.I pulled the distributor and bought a new one (the pickup coil was badand I decided to just replace the whole distributor).  I screwed upwhat I was told.  I was told to turn the engine till the timingpointer was lined up with the groove in the balancer wheel, and the #1plug wire in line with the rotor.  Then to mark the distributorhousing where the rotor was pointing. I did all of this, except forone thing.  I thought I had the #1 plug wire, but did not notice theywere crossedin the loom, so I had the rotor pointing to the #7 wireinstead.I transferred my pencil mark from the old distributor to the new oneand put the distributor in with the rotor pointing to the exact sameplace.  I never turned the engine in between, except after the newdistributor was already meshed in the gear, I had to turn the engineby hand to get the oil pump lined up.  Then I returned the timingpointer back to the line and the rotor pointed toward the #7 wireagain.I am thinking I should be OK, but not sure?????Will this work?Mark

Backyard Mechanic · Accepted Answer

You'll know when you try to start it.  rotate to 0 againMind the engine hits TDC twice a cycle.  So the dist at 0' will either point to cyl 1 or 180deg out.

Rick · Answer

If it runs and you can set initial timing, it's OK. If it runs but you can't get to initial, you can advance or retard the distributor by a tooth.

If you can't get it started, put #1 at TDC compression and start over.

I had been wondering why you pulled the distributor to change the pickup coil....

maradcliff · Answer

ThanksI am going to give it a try (to start it) today.I had a mechanic tell me the only way to change the pickup coil was topull the distributor.  I now question that, because I still had toremove the reluctor.  I think I could have done it without removingthe dist. although it could have been a pain to get that reluctor off.(Actually it was a pain to get the dist. apart anyhow, thats why Ireplaced the whole thing.  At a difference of $20 I was not going toargue). I think I wasted 3 hours trying to get that gear off thebottom of the dist.  Apparently a gear puller is needed.....Mark

Rick · Answer

Can be done with the distributor installed-the reluctor is held on by a roll pin that runs the length of it. Usually you can remove the reluctor with a couple of screwdrivers or a battery terminal puller. A few other clips and the pickup assembly comes right off....

Good luck with the rest of it

Is my distributor in right?

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