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Posted by: nebreitling Jan 4 2004, 03:38 PM

being equal parts idiot and newbie, i've got myself into a bit of a predicament. basically, my dizzy is off 90degrees from TDC.


last month, i pulled my distributor out to install a crane xr700 and just do a bit of general cleaning, greasing, etc. i lined up the rotor over the mark on the dizzy body (~TDC) before pulling it. i didnt bother to check for TDC on the fan, thought i'd be close enough.

i completed the installs and cleaning, etc. put the dizzy back in. cranked it, didn't start. i'd forgoten to plug in the FI points. tried again, nothing. pulled the dizzy, messed with it, replaced it-->nothing. then i had to leave the country.

now i'm back messing w/ it, and have resolved to get it done right. i found TDC by the scribe on the flywheel, confirmed it at the impeller, and then opened up my distributor cap. whoa!: the rotor was pointing 90degrees foward from TDC; i.e. it was pointing at wire 4.

the distributor body is oriented correctly, with the vacuum unit pointing towards the drivers side, the #1 wire at the front left, etc. how the hell did i do this? how can i fix it?

thanks in advance (no pun intended) for your replies....

nathan

sorry, no camera; no pics.

Posted by: nebreitling Jan 4 2004, 04:01 PM

okay, i'm guessing that my distributor drive shaft is out of wack

how can this be set back?

Posted by: fiid Jan 4 2004, 05:19 PM

errr... can't you just re-plug the wires into the right holes?

Posted by: nebreitling Jan 4 2004, 05:23 PM

ha! i was just thinking that... but it seems like it might throw off the FI points. if it were 180deg off, i might actually try it!

Posted by: fiid Jan 4 2004, 05:43 PM

I reckon you're plugged in wrong. I think if you replug it so it is correct, it will work. I suspect that the injection is firing correctly - and the wires are wrong.

Besides, it's easy to try and test, and I don't think you'll break anything if it is wrong. (Caveat emptor)

Posted by: nebreitling Jan 4 2004, 06:07 PM

huh. maybe. i double checked my plug wires 'n such, all was orthodox.

in anycase it doesn't really matter now. i just (gulp) used a pair of needle nose pliers to partially pull out the dizzy drive shaft and re-orient it. that really sucked. here's me crossing my fingers.... n

Posted by: McMark Jan 4 2004, 06:15 PM

It's actually pretty easy. Once you've done it a few times, that is.

1. Pull out the distributor.
2. Make sure you're at TDC on the compression stroke for cylinder 1.
3. Look down the hole, the groove in the distributor should be 12 degrees off the center line of the case.

4. If it's not, remove the spring.
5. Get a tappet puller from an auto parts store, or if you wanna "fake it" get a long pair of needle nose plyers and stick them in the center hole of the distributor drive and open them to grab the drive.
Tappet puller:

Tapper puller in the "open" position:

6. Lift the drive up. It will try to turn a bit as you lift and this will take awhile.
7. Don't take it all the way out, just turn it enough so that it's pointing the right way. Remember that it will turn a bit as it drops in, so you can't point it to the viewing hole and then drop it in. You must compensate ahead of time.

Take a few tries to get the drive raised up enough to turn. But you can do it. Make sure the groove is oriented correctly. It is off set to one side, so make sure the "small side" is down. Be careful not to drop the washer down into the case. There is a ledge that will keep it if it does fall off (most of the time) so don't stress too much over it. Just be aware.

Distributor drive and washer:

View of drive from "inside" the case

View of where the drive sit, notice the ledge where the washer will fall most of the time.

Posted by: nebreitling Jan 4 2004, 07:16 PM

Mark, you are my hero.

seriously. thanks.

Posted by: Gint Jan 4 2004, 07:23 PM

Those are some really nice pics Mark. Classic thread material?

Posted by: nebreitling Jan 4 2004, 07:25 PM

that's what i was thinking... if an admin could edit/clean up the thread a little, i think it would be a great addition to the classic threads.

Posted by: Gint Jan 4 2004, 07:27 PM

Let the thread play out.

Posted by: Curvie Roadlover Jan 4 2004, 07:31 PM

Mark

Posted by: rhodyguy Jan 4 2004, 07:45 PM

good job mark.

kevin

Posted by: McMark Jan 4 2004, 09:06 PM

Thanks for the compliments. Sometimes I get inspired. The tappet puller is a stroke of luck. We had one headed for the trash at work, so I had it in my car and thought of it as I read the thread. Turns out it works pretty well.

Posted by: redshift Jan 4 2004, 09:36 PM

That is an excellent write up, with pics..

There should be a chart, with clickable areas on a 914, that pops up the related parts in that area, and maybe an engine with something like that too.. and a transaxle..

Seriously, with something like that, I could build an engine, and never think twice..



M