Crane XR-1/timing help

[LONN17]

I had a new accel blueprint series distributor laying around and decided to do the electronic ignition conversion on that and put it in my car on friday. I pulled the old dist. and put the new one in just the way the other came out. I couldnt get the car to start after this so I pulled the dist. back out to make sure I had the XR-1 installed correctly but this time forgot to mark which way the rotor was pointing.

Has anyone installed one of these yet? If so did you have to add a resistor? How did your installation go? The instructions didnt say anything about switching the coil. I have a Mallory 29217.

I need to get the engine to the point where I can drop the dist. back in. I guess I need to get to TDC on the compression stroke first. Whats the best way of doing this?

Thanks,
Trevor

 

[D.Hearne]

Roll the crank around till the timing marks line up to the pointer at 12 degrees BTDC. You can remove the #1 spark plug and stick your finger in the hole to feel for the compression. NO compression and you're 180 degrees off. Next look at the dist cap for the #1 mark. No mark? No problem. Install the dist with the rotor pointing at about the 1 o'clock position, looking at the engine, facing the rear of the car. Get the dist. in where the rotor points closest to that position and it should be close enough to start up, once the engine's running, you can fine tune the timing with a light. I've got a Crane XR-1 in my V8 Ranger and also have a resistor inline before the Mallory Promaster coil ( points style coil)

 

[LONN17]

Thanks for the info. I never had to put in a distributor before without having marked the way it should be.

As for the resistor - did you used P/N recommended in the instructions?

Thanks again,
Trevor

 

[D.Hearne]

No I just used the same one it had before with the Pertronix II unit. Don't know what size it is. Seems like the XR-1 came with a resistor though, but I may be mistaken.