Symptoms of a 180* out distributor

99FiveOh

15 Year Member

May 20, 2006

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99

J-Ville, FL

Dec 12, 2009

#1

• Dec 12, 2009

• #1

I replaced my dizzy today and stupid me forgot to mark the position of the rotor before hand. So I retimed it by taking out #1 and felt for air rushing out, then used a screwdriver to find TDC. Then I installed the dizzy with rotor pointing at #1.

I go to crank the car and it runs like pure crap, shaking and what not. It feels like it's running on 2 or 3 cylinders. When I pull the spout, the car will die and not stay running. Does this sound like I'm 180* out? Will the car even run 180 out?

And what about the air coming from the cylinder, will any air at all come out on the exhaust stroke? I know I felt air coming out.

thoughts?

 

99FiveOh

15 Year Member

May 20, 2006

2,051

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99

J-Ville, FL

Dec 12, 2009

#2

• Dec 12, 2009

• #2

nm, figured it out...

 

3

302GTS

If you need herpes, I'm your man!

Apr 20, 2009

481

2

18

Largo, FL

Dec 12, 2009

#3

• Dec 12, 2009

• #3

Yo Mark, what'd it end up being?? Just curious incase I ever come across the same issue.

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

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Dec 12, 2009

#4

• Dec 12, 2009

• #4

For searchers, it will run (albeit barely) if 180* out.

 

99FiveOh

15 Year Member

May 20, 2006

2,051

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J-Ville, FL

Dec 12, 2009

#5

• Dec 12, 2009

• #5

302GTS said:

Yo Mark, what'd it end up being?? Just curious incase I ever come across the same issue.

Click to expand...

I did everything just like everyone says, but it ended up to where the rotor needed to be pointing to the left (going counter clockwise) from #1. With the rotor right on #1 and the balancer on 0 the engine would barely run.

So I went ahead and left the spout in and started turning the dizzy until the motor smoothed out. then I pulled the spout and timed it to 10*. It idled fine, but I still have my original issue.

I did try to set the dizzy back down 180* from where I was and everyone was correct. The car wouldn't start but it backfired like a shot gun going off!

 

HISSIN50

"How long does it take to get help in here?

15 Year Member

Nov 29, 1999

31,179

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129

Dec 12, 2009

#6

• Dec 12, 2009

• #6

When you stabbed it (and it was actually seated after spinning on the gear mesh), was the rotor tip just CCW of the number one plug tower? That's where it should be.

(Or if you dont set the cap and rotor on, you can see if the oval hole [that mirrors the hole that seats the rotor] in the reluctor is pointing just CCW of the PIP).

There's also an index line on the dizzy and intake that kinda get the housing close (so the cap isnt' spun around all weird)

 

Tom95gt

Member

Oct 10, 2007

186

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19

South Jersey

Dec 12, 2009

#7

• Dec 12, 2009

• #7

Mine wouldn't even start

 

99FiveOh

15 Year Member

May 20, 2006

2,051

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J-Ville, FL

Dec 12, 2009

#8

• Dec 12, 2009

• #8

HISSIN50 said:

When you stabbed it (and it was actually seated after spinning on the gear mesh), was the rotor tip just CCW of the number one plug tower? That's where it should be.

(Or if you dont set the cap and rotor on, you can see if the oval hole [that mirrors the hole that seats the rotor] in the reluctor is pointing just CCW of the PIP).

There's also an index line on the dizzy and intake that kinda get the housing close (so the cap isnt' spun around all weird)

Click to expand...

Yes, I lined that notch up with the one in the block and pointed the rotor at #1, but evidently that was the wrong method. I restabbed it with the rotor pointing almost one full tower to the left (ccw) of #1 and now the notch at the bottom lines up and the timing is right on the money.

I think my problem was, I should have lined up the balancer to 10* then stabbed the dizzy with rotor pointing at #1 and the notch lined up at the bottom.

Either way, I figured it out and got it running, but still have the other issue to deal with now.