1st Time Engine Rebuild.... Installing Distributor

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MAGA

MAGA

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I took my old distributor out of the engine I pulled and am switching it over to the rebuilt slant 6 engine. The engine is currently out of the car and on a stand. Using layman's language could someone help me walk through the steps of getting this installed correctly.... I've read a bit online here already, but sort of need to internalize and confirm my understanding of what matters. I'll also tell you what I don't know.

Step 1: Try to get the engine to tdc. I've already got the head on so I can't see the pistons. I already have the timing chain cover and harmonic balancer. Some suggested using a wire through spark plug #1 and feeling for tdc as I crank it over by hand...... yes?

Step 2: Once i've got tdc... i'm wondering what matters next. I truly don't understand the whole importance and method of the distributor install. Do I just put it in position and make sure the gears are meshed? Do I have to take off the cap and look at something and line it up? This next step is confusing to me and I'm not really sure what matters.... please help clarify this a bit.
 
Bringing no1 piston to top IS NOT necessarily "ready to fire."

There are only 2 ways to determine if no1 is ready to fire, that is, at the top (TDC) and on compression. First, is there any reason to assume your timing marks are not accurate? if you think not, you need to address this FIRST. You can check them with a piston stop

A...If the valve cover is off, rotate the engine so timing marks are aligned and see if both no1 valves are closed. Be careful, because if they are open they will be nearly equal, and can fool you

B...The second and most popular way is simply remove no1 plug (or all of them) and either wrench or crank the engine over until you feel compression with a finger in the plug hole. Or a balloon, or a compression gauge

Either A or B is IMPORTANT because the no1 only fires every other time the piston comes up top

Now that you have the piston on the correct stroke, you do NOT (necessarily) want the timing marks on TDC. Rather, you want them aligned to whatever mark you want the initial timing

So now that you have the correct stroke, rotate the engine backwards, say, 1/4 turn and then back forwards again, carefully stopping the engine on "where you want" initial timing, let's say 6BTDC.

Now it is a matter of getting the dist into the engine with the rotor aligned "coming to" the no1 plug tower WITHOUT breaking the plastic gear. Also, on a slant, you have limited movement because of the "arc" in the adjustment bracket BUT NOTICE that there is actually TWO adjustments.........the bracket bolt at the motor block, and the bracket bolt under the distributor. You can loosen both of those to get more movement

After you get the dist. set in you can adjust it further to get timing very close to "right on." First use the cap to align and mark the dist housing as to where no1 plug wire tower is. Sight down on top of the rotor, and "coming clockwise" the rotor should be just "to" that point on the approach.

To get it closer:

If you have breaker points: EASY!!! Rotate the dist. body CW which is retarded. Use whatever is easy to obtain a points closed/ open indication. If the car is wired up, you can turn on the key and use a test lamp. You can unhook the dist. primary wire and use a continuity checker. At the last step the points should be closed.

Now rotate the dist body CAREFULLY CCW (towards advanced) until the points just open. Snug down the clamp bolts and you are ready to start the engine

IF YOU have breakerless ignition. Same as above, except the last step, where you rotate the dist CCW you want to stop when the reluctor tooth is centered in the pickup core. THIS IS NOT entirely accurate but is about the best you can do. WHEN YOU get "good" at this, you can wire up the igntion, and move the dist back and forth a few times, and generate a spark at the trigger point. With a bit of practice you can get this fairly close

AND LAST Before you turn the thing loose with fuel, you can use a timing light "on the starter" to check timing. This should not take more than about 5 seconds of cranking
 
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I really appreciate your thoughtful response as I am a novice. I will be using Option B..... a couple of very dumb questions....
Your mention of "timing marks" what do you mean by this? Are you referencing the marks on the harmonic balancer?
IMG_5192.JPG

67Dart273 said:
Bringing no1 piston to top IS NOT necessarily "ready to fire."

There are only 2 ways to determine if no1 is ready to fire, that is, at the top (TDC) and on compression. First, is there any reason to assume your timing marks are not accurate? if you think not, you need to address this FIRST. You can check them with a piston stop

A...If the valve cover is off, rotate the engine so timing marks are aligned and see if both no1 valves are closed. Be careful, because if they are open they will be nearly equal, and can fool you

B...The second and most popular way is simply remove no1 plug (or all of them) and either wrench or crank the engine over until you feel compression with a finger in the plug hole. Or a balloon, or a compression gauge

Either A or B is IMPORTANT because the no1 only fires every other time the piston comes up top

Now that you have the piston on the correct stroke, you do NOT (necessarily) want the timing marks on TDC. Rather, you want them aligned to whatever mark you want the initial timing

So now that you have the correct stroke, rotate the engine backwards, say, 1/4 turn and then back forwards again, carefully stopping the engine on "where you want" initial timing, let's say 6BTDC.

Now it is a matter of getting the dist into the engine with the rotor aligned "coming to" the no1 plug tower WITHOUT breaking the plastic gear. Also, on a slant, you have limited movement because of the "arc" in the adjustment bracket BUT NOTICE that there is actually TWO adjustments.........the bracket bolt at the motor block, and the bracket bolt under the distributor. You can loosen both of those to get more movement

After you get the dist. set in you can adjust it further to get timing very close to "right on." First use the cap to align and mark the dist housing as to where no1 plug wire tower is. Sight down on top of the rotor, and "coming clockwise" the rotor should be just "to" that point on the approach.

To get it closer:

If you have breaker points: EASY!!! Rotate the dist. body CW which is retarded. Use whatever is easy to obtain a points closed/ open indication. If the car is wired up, you can turn on the key and use a test lamp. You can unhook the dist. primary wire and use a continuity checker. At the last step the points should be closed.

Now rotate the dist body CAREFULLY CCW (towards advanced) until the points just open. Snug down the clamp bolts and you are ready to start the engine

IF YOU have breakerless ignition. Same as above, except the last step, where you rotate the dist CCW you want to stop when the reluctor tooth is centered in the pickup core. THIS IS NOT entirely accurate but is about the best you can do. WHEN YOU get "good" at this, you can wire up the igntion, and move the dist back and forth a few times, and generate a spark at the trigger point. With a bit of practice you can get this fairly close

AND LAST Before you turn the thing loose with fuel, you can use a timing light "on the starter" to check timing. This should not take more than about 5 seconds of cranking
Click to expand...
 
Yes, don't you have a timing tab somewhere on/ mounted on the timing cover? I'm not a 'slant' guy, but all engines, somewhere, have ignition timing marks.
 
Just for drill, how to use a piston stop. This is to check and make certain that the timing marks are correct

Of the subject, here is the stop I made for SB V8's way back in the 70's. I still have it.

stop2-jpg-jpg.jpg


you will have to buy or build an appropriate one for a slant, all the Summit/ Jegs etc sell them

Remove battery ground and devise a way to turn the engine. Remove the plugs to help this. Make certain no1 plug is "down a ways" and insert the stop. Rotate the engine in either direction until it stops against the device. Using whatever means, masking tape, etc, make a temporary mark on the balancer below TDC on the pointer/ timing tab

Now rotate the engine in the opposite direction until it once again stops. Make a second mark. True TDC is halfway between the temporary marks, and if the original is accurate, that is where it will be

You are just trying to stop the piston "somewhere" on the way up. Exactly where is not really important, but you don't want the stop device to be so short that the rod/ piston is in danger of "levering" over the top. You want it 'down' some

Again I'm not expert on slants, so have no advice on how long the plunger should be This is a "trial and error" deal on unfamiliar engines.
 
Thank you ... this is exactly the kind of helpful info I needed.

67Dart273 said:
Just for drill, how to use a piston stop. This is to check and make certain that the timing marks are correct

Of the subject, here is the stop I made for SB V8's way back in the 70's. I still have it.

View attachment 1715504604

you will have to buy or build an appropriate one for a slant, all the Summit/ Jegs etc sell them

Remove battery ground and devise a way to turn the engine. Remove the plugs to help this. Make certain no1 plug is "down a ways" and insert the stop. Rotate the engine in either direction until it stops against the device. Using whatever means, masking tape, etc, make a temporary mark on the balancer below TDC on the pointer/ timing tab

Now rotate the engine in the opposite direction until it once again stops. Make a second mark. True TDC is halfway between the temporary marks, and if the original is accurate, that is where it will be

You are just trying to stop the piston "somewhere" on the way up. Exactly where is not really important, but you don't want the stop device to be so short that the rod/ piston is in danger of "levering" over the top. You want it 'down' some

Again I'm not expert on slants, so have no advice on how long the plunger should be This is a "trial and error" deal on unfamiliar engines.
Click to expand...
 
67Dart273 said:
Yes, don't you have a timing tab somewhere on/ mounted on the timing cover? I'm not a 'slant' guy, but all engines, somewhere, have ignition timing marks.
Click to expand...
I have a timing tab, but it isn't currently installed.
 
Hey MAGA, welcome to FABO! As a first time engine builder myself, I'll say you are definitely at the right place. The folks here are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and never have I had anyone talk down to me. And nice car!! Righty
 
Righty Tighty said:
Hey MAGA, welcome to FABO! As a first time engine builder myself, I'll say you are definitely at the right place. The folks here are incredibly knowledgeable and helpful, and never have I had anyone talk down to me. And nice car!! Righty
Click to expand...
Yes for sure! So helpful to talk to people that have learned so much over the years when your new to all of this work.
 
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