how to put distributer back in? help more

[Poley]

My friend says that I need to pul;l the number one plug and put my finger over the hole and have someone turn the engine by hand, and when it is on the number one pistion the it will blew my finger off of the hole then turn the roder to the number one and firer her up.. is this correct?so what if I prim the pump and put it in and fire without finding out if it is one number one?
And how can I tell if it is on one on the rotor?

[ February 09, 2004, 04:08 PM: Message edited by: Poley ]

[J10/J20 Project]

yup

[Crazy_Jeepman]

More or less, turn motor over till compression is felt or heard, then align the timing mark to TDC then install Dizzy with rotor pointed to your #1 plug wire.

[Poley]

also how long do I have to prime the oil pump for?

[Ralph]

That step is to get the engine set at TDC for the #1 piston. Next step is to check the distributor to see where the rotor meets the #1 spark terminal. Then look down into the hole where the distributor mounts, and make sure the oil pump drive shaft is turned such that the distributor will slide right into the slot while the rotor is at the #1 spark position. Failure to do this last step correctly will likely cause your distributor drive gear to get chewed up.

[Poley]

ok, Well looks like this is a two person job then?
so prime oil pump the find when I have the #1 Piston, and find out when it is fireing, then turn rotor to #1 spark terminal, make sure that the slot in distributor and slot on oil pump are aligned and slide it in and fire her up?

Thanks guys

[Poley]

so what would happen If I didn't do that an primed the pump and fired her up?

Al so how do I know when the distrubitor is lined up at the # 1?

[Poley]

....

[nograin]

Depends on the oil pump. If you fire it up and the oil pressure doesn't come up it means the pump is sucking air and you better shut down. So yes, prime it. Most pumps will draw if they've got at least a little something in them.

If you have not moved ANYTHING in the engine - cam, crankshaft, and you marked the distributor and rotor position before you took it out. Then you can just put it back the way it came out. Otherwise, the way to do it is essentially what has been described. If your friend knows the routine, the best thing is to have him come over.

If not.
1. Bring the #1 piston to Top dead center on the compression stroke. Using your thumb, a compression gage, or a whistle are all methods of making sure you are on the compression stroke.
You can use a remote starter or the compression gage or whistle thing and keep tapping the motor around with the starter. Fine adjust it so its right at roughly 5 degrees Before Top Center. Top center is OK too.
1a. Put your spark plug back in.
2. Put the distributor in making sure it engages like was posted above.
3. Find your ignition wire from the #1 spark plug - hook it back up.
3a. Look at how the distributor cap fits onto the distibutor housing. The #1 wire needs to be right above the tip of the rotor. Rotate the housing until it wil be as best you can tell. Clamp it on.
4. Tighten distributor hold down and attach vacuum advance hose and anything else you took off.

You're ready to fire her up. smile.gif

Anything I missed guys?

[nograin]

Oh yea. Once its running, adjust the timing to spec. The timing can be shot with a light if you aim from the top of the battery IIRC.

[IronDog]

I'd prime the pump first by packing the gears full of petroleum jelly; that almost assures that the pump picks up oil quickly. Then prime the engine - if you've had it apart so that you need to prime the engine - by spinning the pump shaft until oil fills all the passages, reaches all the bearings, fills the lifters, etc. Prime the engine until you get oil visually at all the rockers and at the distributor drive gear, and then prime it a little longer; maybe 30 seconds, maybe a minute or so, depending on what all you've had apart. And if this is a rebuilt engine, I wouldn't bump it with the starter at all until I had the engine primed. I'd turn it over by hand to bring it to compression TDC.
Sometimes it can be almost impossible to get the pump shaft lined up right so that the distributor shaft will engage with it. If it's an old motor, you can bump the engine while pressing down on the distributor until it catches. But on a rebuild, I'd rather not be bumping the engine hoping the distributor will catch and the pump will start spinning etc. Its a lot easier to install the distributor first and then the pump gears, re-primed with petroleum jelly.

[Poley]

thanks guys so after I prime and get full compression stroke then move the tip of rotor so it is as close to the #1 wire got it, then fire and time it. thanks guys..