Distributor installation

[Ron R.]

Any good video's installing a distributor, it's been many years since i installed one.

[Mel H.]

Re: Distributor installation

Just installed one myself for first time few days ago. Was quite easy. 2 hours start to finish, and that included rebuilding the distributor. But first I googled 'distributor rebuild' and got a variety of videos. They were helpful, but dont recall any that were perfect. I watched maybe 4 to get an idea of what/how.

At first I had trouble getting my distributor to drop into place even when aligned correctly. Then found oil pump connector wasnt aligned quite right to allow dist stem to fit into place. Once I adjusted the oil pump stem (long handled screw driver) the dist fell right into place.

Main thing is to mark where rotor is pointing when you remove to distributor and then re-install in same direction.

[Ron R.]

Re: Distributor installation

Thanks Mel, will watch a few videos as suggested before I start..........I've done it a few times years ago....shouldn't be too difficult......

Ron

[Carl N.]

Re: Distributor installation

Ron this video from MSD Ignition may help http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5a2X9mSSlQYlow

[William F.]

Re: Distributor installation

Also article in last Restorer.

[Stuart F.]

Re: Distributor installation

Or you could walk the distributor around to the correct orientation: assuming you have either marked the rotor and vacuum pot positions when you removed it; lift the distributor up slightly with one hand while turning the rotor clockwise with the other (torque it). The distributor will move to the next tooth position, then drop it back down. The oil pump shaft will follow along. Keep doing this one tooth at a time until you reach the desired position. I,ve been doing that since 1956. Works every time.

Stu Fox

[Duke W.]

Re: Distributor installation

Back when I first removed the distributor from my SWC in 1965, I didn't have online videos to tell me how to do it. I just followed the procedure in the shop manual.

There are many threads with photos and the detailed step-be-step procedure to remove and install the distributor, mostly by John Hinckley and me.

The first step is to remove it with the #1 cylinder indexed at the INITIAL TIMING POINT BEFORE TDC of the compression stroke. That makes it easy to reinstall and get the initial timing within a degree or two of your target so it starts right up. If you remove it without knowing where the engine is indexed it's a little more complicated, but not beyond the skills of the average car guy that can do tuneups and minor repairs.

Duke