Do I have the arrow on the #1 spark plug wire? This is a distributor for a 2.0l stock FI engine.

Click to view attachment

--Rob

right in front of your forefinger in the forefront of the picture

So the #1 is on the other side of the vacuum advance?

-- Rob

I see the answer as highly dependent on if the distributor is timed according to the factory manual. If the distributor drive gear is inserted according to the manual, then the #1 is as the Dr indicated but I would have told you to remove the cap and look for a little mark along the top edge of the dizzy. That mark is where you point the rotor for valve adjustments and it's at TDC so when the rotor points to that mark, you're at #1 and so the wire at that position is #1. All this changes if the dizzy drive gear is not "indexed" (if that is the correct word) correctly. You can still get the motor to run (don't ask me how I know) but #1 will be another wire. If I'm not clear, look in the factory manual, or Haynes, for the part where you insert the dizzy drive gear and look for the directions to insert the gear with a 12 degree angle to the engine case seam, that's what I'm trying to refer to.

I have the engine completely apart for a rebuild and I need this information to 'index' the drive gear. I forgot to mark the dist before I removed it.

Thanks again for the confirmation.

-- Rob

Putting the drive gear in correctly is pretty easy so if you're rebuilding an engine, it should be a piece-of-cake. You have a Haynes or other rebuild book?

There is a picture and description of indexing the dizzy drive gear in the factory manual. I know I've seen it in B&W somewhere. Perhaps it's even in the Haynes manual.

Distributor drive gear from the factory manual:

Installation

The following points must be observed:
1 - Check helical teeth of ignition distributor drive shaft for wear. If wear of helical teeth is excessive, be sure to check teeth of ignition distributor drive gear.

2 - Check wahers under ignition distributor drive shaft for wear; use new washers, if required.

3 - Adjust cylinder 1 to firing point. At that moment, the exhaust valve on
cylinder 3 will close and the inlet valve will begin to open.

4 - Install ignition distributor drive shaft.The offset slot in the top end of the distributor drive shaft should be at an angle of approx 12 degrees (the picture in the manual show this 12 degrees to be pointing left of center line of engine) in relation to the longitudinal axis of the engine; the smaller sector faces towards vehicle outside.

5 - Install spacing spring. When installing the distributor shaft in 1.8 liter
engines, beginning with 1974 models, use the 7.S” mark instead of the indicated TDC mark. 2.4-3/2 RemovaI and Installation of Ignition Distributor Drive Shaft

IIRC there is an index mark on the dizzy body. Top surface, where the cap mates. Very thin notch, no bigger than a hacksaw cut or a chisel mark. I'm used to seeing this on Bosch distributors but I can't swear it's on T-IV's...

The mark is on mine. It's used to bring the engine to TDC for valve adjustments.

This is why I was asking which cylinder was #1, I can't tell which mark is TDC..

Click to view attachment

-- Rob

So Ill chime in here as yesterday was a glorious spring day here in the PNW and I was determined to get the LE fired up for the fist time in more than a decade

I was pretty sure I had the same issue, where the the car wouldn't start but would back fire, .. figuring the timing was off or dizzy 180 out.
So I tore the whole thing down ....
Confirmed TDC on one, re-marked my impeller, pulled the distributor and visually inspected the orientation of the eccentric drive gear which appeared to correctly aligned (although its hard to tell 12 degrees while in the car).
Put it all back together and started progressively incrementing the the dizzy rotation advance & retard tying to get it to start Nope ..popping but no start.

Whats got me scratching my head is the closest it came to starting the Dizzy is rotated as far as it could toward the tail (is that retard) & seems like it need to go further

I dont recall pulling the distributor drive gear but I guess its possible. Do I need to do this all again and R & R the Drive gear?

these are 'is it plugged in' questions.
Gotta ask.
They do not demean your abilities - we all overlook basics sometimes...

Fresh gas?

You verified #1 - good.

now verify the other 3 - on both ends.
it's really easy to have two crossed on one side of the engine or the other, or to have the firing sequence backward. (1-4-3-2, dizzy turns clockwise).

As long as you're twisting the dizzy, run it to the high point on one cam lobe and verify 0.016" point gap (assuming you have points. If you have some kind of points replacement, nevermind).

Then static-time to TDC or just a teeny before. The engine will idle there. if it doesn't - something you think you know is wrong.

yea Ive gone way outta my way to keep it ALL original but one concession I made was a simple pertronix points replacement

These pics are from a '74 2.0

Click to view attachment

Click to view attachment

This problem with finding #1 and the mark in distributor may have already been resolved but thought I would add a couple pics just in case you want verification on the position of the mark (line on edge of distributor noting #1).

This is not an exact science but I have found that if I place my vacuum housing by the bail holding the oil filler (chimney) it is a pretty good starting point for timing. Helped a buddy and it got his running decent to start with (as far as his timing was concerned). See pics for (maybe) a good starting point. To be honest I put it there and leave it. Works for me and worked for a buddy. I know things can be different but a good starting point doesn't hurt.

I am not very good at setting my timing with reving the motor to 3500rmp with dwell tach hooked up and getting past the advance on the distributor. I found this pretty close.

You can clearly see the index mark on Thompsons post. Watson, its hard to see the right mark on that poor beatup diz, but its there (I think).

Type 47,That mark is NOT for adjusting valves. Its only for indexing the #1 plug. If the diz fires at 27degrees before top dead center, where do you think you valves are? I can tell you they are not both closed. If you point the rotor at that mark (notice that mark is directly under the #1 plug wire tower), and you are timed properly, Your #1 cylinder is at 27 degrees before top dead center.

Actually, at 27º BTDC Compression - yeah - they are both closed, and have been for a while...

But that's a technicality. The rest of your points are spot-on...

Why would you bring the engine to TDC for valve adjustments?

The Cap'n

"It couldn't hurt..."

You are correct, it just needs to be on the base circle.

Your technique is definitely faster once you accept the Zen of it.
Some people need to be guided by 'the official documented procedure' and if the cylinder is at TDC Compression, which is (normally) easily verifiable, then you _know_ the valves are on the base circle.