Distributer help please!

[87AccordLXsdn]

I was driving my car last night and all of the sudden it starts running really shitty. I pulled over and checked under the hood. Seems as if my plug wire somehow got pulled off the cap in the middle of a drive. I put it back on but as i pushed on the top, the whole distributer moved. The one screw was a little loose on it and now i don't know where the distibuter should be set at. Do I need a timing gun or is there just a way to set it???

[Tailfin]

You need a timing light... You can probably get it at least closer by listening to the engine. If you don't have the funds to blow on one, you might ask some auto parts stores if they'll lend you one. Many stores have tool loaner programs.

[87AccordLXsdn]

awesome, thanks man...now i just have to find someone who knows how to use one...

[Tailfin]

LOL sorry, I can help ya there. I would kinda just put it "in the middle" for now, and it shouldn't be way off...

Using a timing light is pretty simple...depends on the kind of light though. The older/cheaper ones you connect to the #1 plug wire and it picks up whenever that wire fires....but you're also timing it on 3 cylinders that way, I think. Mine has an inductive pickup, which is just a magnetic doohickey that clamps over the wire and will detect the charge without disconnecting the wire. That cost me like 70 bucks at Advance Auto, just in case you're curious.

Anyway, that thing, I just connect to the #1 plug wire that way, and then it has a red and black clip to go on the battery terminals to power the light. You aim it down that little hole where the block meats the head just to the right of the distributor. The light will flash and light up the marks and you'll see the markings in there. I had trouble finding the stupid spot myself, but there's a thread on here where that was addressed which I'll find and edit this post with a link...

Here we go:... http://www.3geez.com/forum/showthread.php?t=55443

[A18A]

1 way i set it with my car (just a quick as way) i just adjust it till the idle sounds good, or else just adjust it to what the idle speed should be. good for temporaryness untill u get a timing light

[POS carb]

you don't NEED a timing light unless you want the EXACTtiming.

You can do it by ear

get a vacuum gauge also if possible (cheaper than a timing light)
Turn on the engine. Rotate the distributor forward to advance, backwards to retard. You want to retard the timing until you notice the RPMs (or vacuum) drop. Then slowly advance and listen to the motor (or watch the vacuum gauge reading rise) keep advancing until the RPMs (or vacuum) stop rising. Lock it and mark the setting. Take a test drive, listen for any rattling noise on hard accelleration. If it rattles, retard the distributor a little. If there is no rattling leave it alone.

[Jasonf860]

Rotate the distributor forward to advance, backwards to retard.
I think what you said is backwards.... Turn the dizzy clockwise to retard, anti-clockwise to advance.

[Tailfin]

I think you're both right. I'm sensing he meant forward, as in towards the front of the car :-P...lol

[MessyHonda]

i need to set it on my dx...cuz the idle sucks...and some times it die...and i hate heal toe in traffic.

[Jasonf860]

I think you're both right. I'm sensing he meant forward, as in towards the front of the car :-P...lol
I guess it all depends on if you are talking about the top or bottom of the dizzy.