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Question about distributor (sorry long)

  • Thread starter Thread starter 89budget50
  • Start date Start date Aug 2, 2005
8

89budget50

New Member
Dec 3, 2002
29
0
0
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
Aug 2, 2005
#1
  • Aug 2, 2005
  • #1
I'm sorry for this being long. Couple days ago my car started stalling on me right after starting. I presumed it was either the TFI module or the PIP in the distributor as I have had this same problem in my other mustangs and those were the culprits. Neither one ended up being the problem. Anyways I changed the distributor and the TFI and in my haste (I was late for a date) I did not mark where the rotor was pointing when I removed the distributor. Put the new one in, timed it and went on my way. At WOT the car would miss in the upper RPM's. Did a search and found out probably have the distributor off by a tooth. Today put in old distributor and TFI, timed it and now it pulls great with no missing. When I timed it I had to rotate the distributor even farther clockwise then where it was originally, by a lot. I've been told that when you put in the distributor the rotor needs to be pointing where it was when removed or you need to have the #1 cylinder at TDC and the rotor pointing to the #1. I'm not sure if I have either of these. I know this sounds stupid, but will the engine run if the distributor is not in the right position, such as the rotor pointing to a different point than #1 when #1 cylinder is at TDC? (hopefully that makes sense) I put my scanner on it, and I am not getting any codes. Could my engine get messed up if the distributor is not in the right spot, but the car pulls and drives fine? Thanks for any help and again sorry for being long.
 
B

blueoval89lxcpe

New Member
Jul 19, 2005
5
0
0
Aug 2, 2005
#2
  • Aug 2, 2005
  • #2
89budget50 said:
I'm sorry for this being long. Couple days ago my car started stalling on me right after starting. I presumed it was either the TFI module or the PIP in the distributor as I have had this same problem in my other mustangs and those were the culprits. Neither one ended up being the problem. Anyways I changed the distributor and the TFI and in my haste (I was late for a date) I did not mark where the rotor was pointing when I removed the distributor. Put the new one in, timed it and went on my way. At WOT the car would miss in the upper RPM's. Did a search and found out probably have the distributor off by a tooth. Today put in old distributor and TFI, timed it and now it pulls great with no missing. When I timed it I had to rotate the distributor even farther clockwise then where it was originally, by a lot. I've been told that when you put in the distributor the rotor needs to be pointing where it was when removed or you need to have the #1 cylinder at TDC and the rotor pointing to the #1. I'm not sure if I have either of these. I know this sounds stupid, but will the engine run if the distributor is not in the right position, such as the rotor pointing to a different point than #1 when #1 cylinder is at TDC? (hopefully that makes sense) I put my scanner on it, and I am not getting any codes. Could my engine get messed up if the distributor is not in the right spot, but the car pulls and drives fine? Thanks for any help and again sorry for being long.
Click to expand...
just bump your ignigtion switch, coil undone of course and feel for the compression stroke(air pushing your finger off) by taking out #1 spark plug The rotor should be pointing to #1 if not, that is a problem like you have described take the distributor out and line it up with #1 on the cap.Presto chango. I hope this helped and if you already knew this, I am sorry for wastinfg your time Happy Wheelin.....
 
8

89budget50

New Member
Dec 3, 2002
29
0
0
Dallas/Fort Worth, TX
Aug 2, 2005
#3
  • Aug 2, 2005
  • #3
I tried that and it made it worse, now my tach stays at 4000 rpm. Any more ideas?
 
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