63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

[Troy P.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

First think I'm going to do is check to see if the balancer has rotated. Then check the timing tab. If its not one of those I'll yank out the distributor and try to turn it one tooth counterclockwise. If that solves the problem and the VAC does not hit the plenum I'll leave it at that. But if that doesn't work I'll rotate the drive gear 180 degrees and see if I can find a position where it works properly. If all else fails I've been wondering about just rotating the wires on the cap one position. But I believe I cut the wires so they are just long enough to reach the cap terminal where they are supposed to be.

[William C.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

Actually, I'd move the distributor shaft clockwise one tooth as viewed from the top and then try to time. If that doesn't work then pull the dist and drive out the pin, rotate the gear 180 on the shaft reinstall the pin and reinstall the dist.

[Troy P.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

I was planning to try that to see if the distributor might be one tooth off already.

I was guessing counter clockwise, farther away from the plenum, but wasn't sure. Right now the timing mark shows in the timing light to be too high up on the balancer. Which way would bring it down (clockwise) toward the timing tab?

[William C.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

When you say too high, I would take that as too far advanced. I'm looking down at the distributor from the top and one tooth clockwise when you time the engine would move the vacuum advance clockwise (again looking from the top) the same amount which should move it away from the distributor plenum when the timing is properly set. Are you certain that the index mark on the crank balancer is properly aligned with TDC? If the timing mark is too far up the tab with the vac advance hitting the plenum, the silmple answer is pull the timing back to the proper mark and your problem should be solved...Another question is are you certain that you are hooked to the #1 plug wire?

[Troy P.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

Bill, I'm on #1 for sure. I do need to check that the outer ring of the damper has not moved and that I have the correct timing cover. Right now the line on the balancer shows up on the timing light well outside the tab - too far toward the top of the balancer. So it shows quite a bit counter clockwise from where it should.

[William C.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

timing mark should line up with the edge of the keyhole on the crank snout. What you are describing is WAY off.

[Joe M.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

A certain FI guru of reknown, mandates that you use a piston stop to find TDC before you ever start your engine with the ressurected FI unit in place.

This validates your belief that the balancer lines up correctly with the timing tab. No other way to ensure that and if it is not right your end up chasing your tail...just for fun.

Basic stuff.

[Troy P.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

Guess I'll have to make a piston stop. In case everyone is wondering why I'm not providing feedback on what I'm finding, I'm waiting for my breakerless ignition set up to arrive before I dive into the problem and distributor. I really appreciate all the good advice.

[William C.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

A little advice, debug the problems before you install the breakerless. No sense introducing another source of error. BTW if the damper has slipped that will just add additional delay if you wait.

[Wayne M.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

Guess I'll have to make a piston stop. .....

Troy -- here's the one I use; been a long time ago, but IIRC, I ordered it at the local Chev dealer. The black marker index is so I can repeat the insertion length, for a re-check.

Just remember to remove when finished (heh heh).

[John H.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

Troy -

I use one that looks like this - any good auto parts store will have one.


PistonStopTool2.jpg

[John D.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

I heard from Don Baker on this post and he gave me a message for Troy. Don said it's not unheard of to have a bottom gear that has the "dimple" (indentation) 180Degrees out from where it should be.

To insure that the dimple is in fact marked correctly make sure the dimple is in the center of TWO teeth. If it is in alignment with ONE tooth then you know someone goofed.
Instead of saying one tooth off we should be saying 1/2 tooth off.
To start from the begging. Troy complained his VA was slammed up against the FI plenum. That's a typical phone call complaint I often hear. The majority of the time the problem is because the distributor is incorrectly installed.
For those of you that don't know FI distributors here is a tip. When you install an FI distributor it is locked in place by a locator pin and the bottom distributor clamp.
To advance and retard the FI distributor you have to unloosed a cadmium plated clamp. That clamp holds the two halves of the distributor together.
Hinckleys whistle tool is the best and easiest at finding TDC. JD

[Jerry G.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

Well, just to further enlighten...many aftermarket cams suggest use of Bronze cam drive gears so there is no dimple on these units. So I guess if your having a problem just turn it around 180 degrees on shaft and see if that helps. Can't really hurt anything.

[John H.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

Hinckleys whistle tool is the best and easiest at finding TDC. JD

JD -

That's not a whistle tool - it's a hard-contact piston stop tool; the "whistle tools" are useless for finding true TDC.

[Troy P.]

Re: 63 (64-65 also?) Fuelie Distributor Orientation

I know mine has the original dimple from the last time I looked at it when making changes 20+ years ago to get the newly installed VAC away from the plenum without denting it. I recall flipping the gear but I don't recall if I put the dimple in the OEM spot or 180 out. I'll see.