distributor timing

[dsw99a]

Im completing an engine swap.
m30b30 to m30b34.

I need a complete explanation of resetting the distributor timing.

I think you have to have the little notch(scratch) on the distributor body pointed at the #1 spark plug and have the engine at tdc.
when i do this the large distributor vacuum thingy on the side hits my radiator and wont allow for adjustment.

On top of that i have the transitorized distributor without the points and condensor. I dont know if that makes a difference?

I seem to be getting fuel and spark, but ive been cranking this thing for hours now. not even a cough.

advice welcome

[Robert Bondi]

Procedure is same for transitorized ignition. By the time the vac advance unit hits the radiator, you're going well beyond the normal range of timing at the distributor.

I got burned once by forgetting that the crank turns twice for every revolution of the camshaft. Therefore, you can have everything look correct according to the procedure and have no chance as the camshaft is off 180 degrees. Try turning the crank another full revolution or you can pop the valve cover and observe the camshaft and valve positions directly to eliminate this ambiguity.

Not sure if you've done deeper work.....wrong assembly of the timing chain with that gear on the camshaft could also put correct timing out of reach.

[dsw99a]

yes. thanks.

i literally tdc'd the engine at least four times (without vefrifying it), thinking i HAVE to get it right eventually.
I took off the valve cover and verified tdc, and it fired rright up! Runs terrible, but we have life.

Can you illuminate where the vacuum lines off the vacuum advance should terminat too? throttle body ,but which side and where?

thanks again.

[Robert Bondi]

There are some good pics in the FAQ on the throttle body side: http://www.firstfives.org/faq/throttle/throttle.html
Retard port on the bottom; advance on the top.

There are different flavors of distributor depending on your model. My advance port on the vacuum chamber on the distributor is on the top conical surface; the retard port is on the bottom base of that chamber. I'm currently using neither and have both capped, but confirmed those functions from the Haynes manual.

[dsw99a]

Ok guys here a bit more of the puzzle.

I have gotten the couple of leaks and hose routing done now to fine tune the engine.

I think i have the timing off just a couple degrees. Do i need to re TDC to re-enter (change) the distributor?
Im hoping i can just re-engage it without pulling the headcover. I think i can just wanted some confirmation

thx all.

[Robert Bondi]

I saw your PM which I think is the same question....

Yes, go back to TDC on the engine and you can pull the distributor by loosening the 10mm head
bolt under the plate. IIRC, there are 11 teeth on the distributor gear, so you can try resetting the distributor to point
to cylinder 1 for a significant adjustment. Minor adjustment of advance/retard is just rotating the distributor with the teeth set and using
the timing light.

The distributor gear teeth are significantly angled, so you'll do a little trial and error to get a feel for how much the rotor
turns when you engage that gear.

Robert

==========

Ok guys here a bit more of the puzzle.

I have gotten the couple of leaks and hose routing done now to fine tune the engine.

I think i have the timing off just a couple degrees. Do i need to re TDC to re-enter (change) the distributor?
Im hoping i can just re-engage it without pulling the headcover. I think i can just wanted some confirmation

thx all.

[dsw99a]

Thanks for the reply. I did get it going. It was semantics and i think lucky tuning before.
"Reading is Fundamental" I read it dozens of times and was looking at the wrong thing.
I was aiming up notches and all kinds of things to the number one spark plug.
NOT the #1 spark plug terminal inside the distributor cap.
And along the way i learned the little arrow on side of distributor body is where #1 spark plug wire corresponds in the distributor cap.


So now to fine tune and getting the exhaust sorted.

Thanks a bunch.

Happy New Year.

[dsw99a]

Hello.

Got the closest to a "good" tune. But interesting note; the best tune yet, and i dont think im finished- i have all the ports blocked off as you(RobertB) aforementioned in an entry earlier! i think a little idle screw adjust might finish the deed.

[Robert Bondi]

Sounds great. I'm running a Metric Mechanic 3.7L engine. His advice was to cap off both the advance and retard, so that's how I got to that configuration.

Hello.

Got the closest to a "good" tune. But interesting note; the best tune yet, and i dont think im finished- i have all the ports blocked off as you(RobertB) aforementioned in an entry earlier! i think a little idle screw adjust might finish the deed.