I took my distributor out to have it rebuilt and the timing curve changed and when I reinstalled it the TDC mark would only come to about the 12:00 position with the distributor cranked all the way clockwise (retarded). I didn't have this problem before I took the distributor out so what gives? The car still runs but is slightly rough while cruising at a steady speed. I would think that the car would not start at all. It seems that I am a tooth off or something but I thought that you could only put the distributor in two ways, to have it fully seat...either 0 or 180 out because of the slot. The only thing i can think of is the pump shaft somehow got pulled out and jumped a tooth??? Anyone have a suggestion? Thanks, Dan
Dan, You are simply a tooth off, that's all. You'll need to pull the distributor out, and reposition it. The distributor body should be midway between it's travel left, and right. The vacuum advance should point towards the r/s corner of the car. Bring the #1 cylinder back to TDC again, remove the distributor, and reposition it, paying attention to the vacuum advance. Good luck.
Thanks Larry, I will try that...but I don't understand how if it has that slot it slips down into how it could possibly seat being off a tooth...either it seats right on TDC or 180 out. I am obviuosly missing something, I guess it can be one tooth off and still seat fully. I don't see how the car even runs right now...I used a dial back and to bring tdc back to 0 I have to dial in 40deg!! Thanks again!
Thanks Larry, I will try that...but I don't understand how if it has that slot it slips down into how it could possibly seat being off a tooth...either it seats right on TDC or 180 out. I am obviuosly missing something, I guess it can be one tooth off and still seat fully. I don't see how the car even runs right now...I used a dial back and to bring tdc back to 0 I have to dial in 40deg!! Thanks again!
By slot, I guess you mean the oil pump driveshaft. That is free to turn. In fact you may have to reposition it for the distributor to seat. Go through the procedure again. As you seat the distributor, the rotor will turn because of the helical nature of the cam drive gear. You have to start with the rotor in a position so that as you lower the distributor, and the rotor turns, it ends up pointing at #1.
I thought the oil pump shaft turned only when the engine turned? The slot is independant of the shaft???
Oil pump shaft will turn by hand. It is driven by the distributor via the camshaft gear. You can actually pressurize the oil galleys by turning it with a drill(with the distributor out).
OK, thanks again...so the best thing to do is remove valve cover, turn the motor to TDC, position the pump shaft so when the distributor seats the rotor is pointed to number one when the vacuum advance can is point to R/S corner of car or middle of its adv/ret travel.
Larry's 100% on the money as usual:TU: The slot is in the shaft, and that shaft is part of one of the pump gears. I usually just take the pump gears out if that $@^&ing slot won't line up...but you will have to prime the pump with vaseline if you do that.
After wrenching on cars at my job forever, and time being money here's one you can do that's foolproof. Pull #1 plug, have a friend(or use a remote starter button like me) bump motor over while holding your finger in the spark plug hole. When you hear the PPPPFFFTTT of air around your finger, stop. Reinstall #1 plug. Drop distributor in on #1. If it doesn't fall the last 1/4 inch to engage oil pump driveshaft slot hold light pressure on distributor and bump motor til it falls in place. Unless your motor has never been primed this will not hurt your engine and I guarantee you'll get #1 everytime without having to fool with trying to line up the oil pump shaft and teeth on distributor drive at the same time.
All you gotta due is use a screwdriver to keep turning the oil pump shaft a little at a time till the distributor pops right in.
