Setting timing

[JShadzi at aol.com]

Sure, you bet, take the dist. (off the car), and line up the center of the rotor electrode with the mark of the dist. housing, and simply slide the dist. into the head, done!  Typically the hall connector is facing the firewall, so insert the dist. with this orientation.

Problem with randomly rotating the dist. while cranking is 1) who know what will happen, and where you will get the engine to randomly fire at and 2) the dist may be facing the wrong way so that certain wiring connectors no longer fit properly.

HTH,
Javad

In a message dated Wed, 25 Jul 2001  4:52:42 PM Eastern Daylight Time, "Swann, Benjamin R.  (BSWANN)" <BSWANN at arinc.com> writes:

> Javad,
> 
> What do you do when you are assembling everything from scratch, as in my
> current case.
> 
> Assuming I have set the crank at TDC on #1 and Cam with lobes positioned to
> close #1 Valves as you describe,  what do I use to guage putting the
> distributor in properly?
> 
> I am just getting to torquing the head down, and will be installing cam,
> timing belt, H2O pump, and distributor.  
> 
> Just trying to make sure I get it right first time with no trial and error.
> 
> Ben
> 
> [Here is what I recommend, line up the crank with the flywheel, the mark on
> the crank pulley is not reliable.  
> 
> The cam should be lined up with both #1 cam lobes facing up, and the dot on
> the back of the cam gear lined up with the top of the valve cover.  The
> distrubutor should be lined up by centering the rotor contact on the mark on
> the dist., spinning the distrubutor to get it started is a poor way to line
> up the dist, when lining it up properly is so easy.  The dist. should be
> lined up after the cam and crank are set.
> 
> HTH,
> Javad
> 
> In a message dated Wed, 25 Jul 2001 11:18:39 AM Eastern Daylight Time, "Iain
> Atkinson" <iain.atkinson at tesco.net> writes:
> 
> > don't use the front marks use the rear ones on the flywheel/bell housing,
> > then (i presume it's a 5 cyl)there is a mark on the cam wheel that should
> be
> > in with the top of the cam cover gasket. Best thing to is mark these marks
> > with a dot of whote paint so they are easier to see. There is also mark on
> > the dizzy if you ake the cap off that denotes no 1 cylinder @ tdc (i
> think).
> > have you moved the dizzy at all or changed a cambelt or something. Common
> > mistake is that it throws out the ign timing, best way i have found is to
> > get someone to turn the car over whilst you rotate the dizzy to get it to
> > fire.
> > 
> > 
> > Iain]