[200q20v] Distributor timing

[C1J1Miller at aol.com]

I've got details on how the distributor / FTCU and other systems work on my 
page:

http://members.aol.com/c1j1miller/

I've also got the dist. rotor location tool; pretty cheap, from 
www.zelenda.com
Chris

In a message dated 1/25/01 9:43:22 AM Eastern Standard Time, 
DPulvino at agraus.com writes:

> 
>  Hey all, 
>  
>  thanks for the input so far, but still don't think I have enough info to 
> install the dist. and have high level of certainty that it's "dead nuts on" 
> where it is specked to be.  I will try to get ahold of Ned Ritchie, in 
fact, 
> I'm going to be in Olympia today, and maybe I can just pop my head in.  As 
> far as the special tool, I think I figured that one out.  When you put the 
> new dist. the seat theres quite a bit of resistance due to the o-ring on 
the 
> dist. periphery, so you can only push it in so far.  So my guess is that as 
> the dist. is forced the rest of the way in with the bolt on the hold down 
> clamp, the rotor will have a tendency to move relative to the dist body as 
> the gears mesh further.  I'm thinking the tool is used to keep the correct 
> reference/timing point on the distributor as it is forced further into the 
> engine head.  If that's the case, then I guess I could just turn everything 
> back to reference, assuming there's not too much frictive force once the 
dist.
>  is in pl!
>  ace.
>  
>  Another question, anybody know how the timing is advanced and retarded on 
> this ignition setup; there's obviously no mechanical means for that.  Does 
> the coil have enough control so that it can send the spark from variable 
> locations on the rotor, to the cap?  That's the only thing I can think of, 
> but then the advance and retard would be limited by the length of the blade 
> on the rotor (or how many degrees the rotor blade length corresponds to).  
> This question's not really essential, but helpful for understanding the 
> system.
>  
>  Derek