Distributor help, a noobie question Options

[weird_looking_cactus]

Well I had my car running pretty good on 2 pistions it would idle good and when I pressed on the gas it go up just slow. Then I decied to fix the other 2 pistions now its running on all four (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif). But I really mess around with the distrubutor by turning the whole thing and the distrubutor moves really easy now and I can't seem to get it into that sweet spot again so it will stay at a idle. I can get it to start up but then it just dies or will stay at a idle super low idle for about 10 seconds. So how do I make the distributor tight and how do I find the right spot for it to stay running. Thanks

[Dave_Darling]

To start with, you set the "static timing".

Crank the engine over so that it is on TDC on the #1 cylinder. You'll see the TDC mark on the fan, and/or feel it and/or see it in a mirror in the top notch on the transmission bellhousing. Then check the rocker arms to see that both of the rockers for cylinder #1 (left-rear) are slightly loose; that means you're on TDC#1 and not TDC#3. The rotor should also be pointing toward the left-front of the car.

Take a spare spark plug and plug the #1 wire into it. Tape the plug so that the threaded part and/or the outer electrode are grounded (the fan shroud works for this), but so you can still see the gap.

Turn the key to "on", but not to "start". Go back to the engine bay and twist the distributor around until the spark plug sparks. Go back and forth until you have the distributor right at the point where the plug sparks, not to one side or the other. Turn off the key, then tighten the clamp nut on the distributor. That should let the car run and idle decently, though possibly not as well as it could.

Then plug the #1 plug wire back into the #1 spark plug, remove your spare taped-down plug from the fan shroud, and set up your timing light and set the timing.

All of the above may be covered in the Pelican article on the subject.

Note that if you have a Pertronix, you can easily fry it by leaving the ignition on for more than 30 seconds without the engine running. If you have one of those, I'm not sure what you do, except possibly having an assistant turn the key on and off again...

--DD