Distributor Installation - Oops, I Did It Again

[it's paid for]

Okay . . . I'm going to be back home late Tuesday night & I'll resume working on the 2G on Wednesday . . . for those who aren't up with what's been done, here's a brief review:

removed head
valve job
installed head

. . . anyway, I tossed in the distributor w/#1 at TDC . . . but . . . I'm such an idiot . . . I thought the rotor was supposed to be lined up w/the arrow on the electrical "box" on the side of the distributor . . . a friend told me I'd have to remove it and line up the rotor with the distributor post for the #1 cylinder spark plug wire . . .

. . . are there any tricks to doing this by eye . . .

. . . sorry . . . I haven't searched the archives . . .

Thanks,

IPF

[PhydeauX]

You're pushing your luck on digging this one up, good thing I've still got the old 76-83 manual laying around. The 83 and older use a completely diferent distributor setup then the newer cars. Anyway, figure out where the #1 spark plug lead is on the inside of the cap and mark that positoin on the distributor body. Instal the distributor with the rotor pointing 30° to the right of the mark (to accomidate for the helical cut in the drive gear). When you get it in and the o-ring seated it should line up with the mark you made. That should get it where it needs to be.

andy

[it's paid for]

Okay . . . I think I can do that - thanks! I'll mark the #1 spark plug lead on the outside of the distributor using a marker & I'll be very careful. If I ever get this thing running, can't I adjust the timing by loosening the distributor positioning bolt and turning it by hand with the engine running to get the right timing? Will I need a timing light for this using the flywheel timing marks?

Thanks,

IPF

[k-roy]

Yea you need a timing light. It fires when the #1 cylinder fires showing you the timing mark on the flywheel for a split second through the timing hole. Its basically a strobe light in time with the engine. It sounds like you have the right idea. Turning the distributor is how you fine tune it.

[PhydeauX]

You can find tune it with the timing light, but you have to get it close when its installed, the adjustment slot only gives you something like 40° to play with, thats not much if its off by a tooth.

andy