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Distributor installation help please

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ichthos

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I need to install my rebuilt distributor. I am not sure how to do this. I had to rotate the pistons, so it is not in the same place as when I removed it. I thought number one cylinder had to be at the top, and then the rotor had to point to the number one cylinder in the cap - is this correct? Right now number one and number 6 cylinders are at the top. Any help would greatly be apprectiated.
Kevin
 
Look at your timing marks. When #1 is at top and the TM says close to TDC. That's it.
 
You need to have #1 at the top on the compression stroke. #6 will also be at the top, but it will be on the exhaust stroke. You can look at the valves to see which is which: both valves will be closed (pushrods can be turned with the fingers) on the cylinder on compression; while both valves will be slightly open (pushrods won't turn) on the cylinder on exhaust.
 
If you did not remove the drive gear, it should fall into place. Just turn the distributor shaft until it drops into the drive gear slot. The TR6 distributor is offset and will only go in one way.
If you removed the drive gear or need to verify that it is in correctly, you will have to go through the steps mentioned above and then follow the manual to see the angle of the slot when installed.
 
DougF said:
If you did not remove the drive gear, it should fall into place. Just turn the distributor shaft until it drops into the drive gear slot. The TR6 distributor is offset and will only go in one way.
Click to expand...

Who did the rebuild? If Jeff @ Advanced did you should be able to just drop it in. It took me a bit of time on my first go around to see / confirm how it fit but there is a taper to the drive and as said it will only fit one way.
 
The gear on the bottom of the distributor fits into the slots of the cam driven gear down inside the block, under the pedestal, which are shown in order below.

If you have not turned the engine over since you removed it for rebuilding, it should go right back in the same way it came out. You will be able to tell when it drops down and hits bottom. If it is sticking up because the slots aren't lined up, you are 180 degrees out, so pull it and turn the shaft or rotor 180 and it should drop right back in.
 

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Kevin - maybe the problem is that you haven't pained everything red as shown below? :laugh:

Seriously though - any progress? Did you get it back in OK?
 
I am always jealous when I see pics like Paul's. It will be a long time (if every) that my car will ever look like that. It took me many years to restore a Bugeye, which I think is only a week or two from being finished (I hope). I worked on it last night while waiting for feedback. After many years of working on the Bugeye, I decided to take a different approach on the TR6. I am trying to get it in good working order and have fun driving it in the process instead of having it sitting in my garage for years first.

I did want to have Jeff rebuild my distributor, but he was really backlogged at the time. I do have a spare I am going to have him rebuild later.

OK, back on task. I forgot to mention that the head is off. I have both number one and six pistons at the top. If I understand every thing you guys have said correctly, it should be near TDC on the timing marks, the rotor should be pointing to number one cylinder, and the bottom of the distributor should then match up to the slot on the cam, correct? I will be out in the garage a little later today, and I will let you know how it works out.

Kevin
 
If the cam and tappets are still in the block, put pushrods in for #1 cylinder and just pretend they are working the valves, both will be at their lowest at #1 TDC firing position
 
I think Randall pointed out that what you described is correct
 
poolboy said:
If the cam and tappets are still in the block, put pushrods in for #1 cylinder and just pretend they are working the valves, both will be at their lowest at #1 TDC firing position
Click to expand...
Another way to look at it, if you are using bare pushrods, is that neither pushrod will be moving as the cylinder comes up on compression stroke.

But, as mentioned above, if you have not disturbed the relationship of the drive gear to the camshaft (ie taken the gear out), then just line up the dizzy tang with the gear and drop it in. The engine doesn't have to be at TDC, and doesn't matter where the rotor points; since the dizzy only fits into the gear one way, it will automatically be correct. (Correct meaning close enough that you can set the timing later.)
 
I am not sure what you are asking. Piston #1 and #6 are at the top (remember the head is off) and the timing mark is at TDC. The rotor points to #6 in the distributor cap.
 
That might be correct, if the valves are closed for #6.

Drop in the pushrods for #1, and watch what they do as you turn the crank through one full revolution. If they both stop moving before the #1 piston gets back to the top, then the rotor should be pointing at #1. If either one is moving, the rotor should point to #6.

If it is still wrong, there are 3 possibilities:
1) Wires are on cap wrong
2) Gear is meshed to cam wrong
3) Distributor dog is installed wrong

I don't have my book handy, but it should have directions for getting 1) and 2) right. If they are right and you still have a problem, it must be 3).
 
You've likely got it right. Rotate the engine in the normal direction and bring the #1 & #6 up to TDC again.... bet you magically have the dizzy pointing at #1 firing then. :wink:
 
You both were correct. I did have it in correct. When I turned the engine, when #1 piston came up again, the rotor was pointing to number one cylinder. I knew I had not done the things you listed Randall, so I take it there is only one way the distributor goes in then? Thanks for your help.
Kev
 
That's right, Kev. Hardly noticeable, but there, the slot in the top of the dizzy drive gear is off-set to center and will only accept the distributor one way FULLY seated.
The confusion arises when the gear has been removed and the orientation of the offset slot goes unnoticed or just plain wrong, usually 180 degrees differently.
 
poolboy said:
The confusion arises when the gear has been removed and the orientation of the offset slot goes unnoticed or just plain wrong, usually 180 degrees differently.
Click to expand...
:iagree:

When it really gets entertaining is when the DPO has installed the wires into the cap wrong to compensate for the gear being 180 off; and the DCO doesn't notice that before changing the cap & wires. Learned that one the hard way, many years ago.

The really crazy part was that it was Dad's TR3A that had the gear & wires switched; and I had borrowed his cap & wires trying to get my 'new' TR3A to run. It ran fine, once I figured out to put back the awful-looking cap & wires that were on it when I pulled it out of the swamp.
 
TR3driver said:
When it really gets entertaining is when the DPO has installed the wires into the cap wrong to compensate for the gear being 180 off; and the DCO doesn't notice that before changing the cap & wires. Learned that one the hard way, many years ago.
Click to expand...

Yeah, I'm guilty of doing things like that. When I was swinging wrenches in the '70s, and doing say a major tune-up where it was easier to pull the distributor to work on or a head job where I had to yank the distributor, I would just get the engine at TDC, plop in the distributor (most were geared, not like the TR's with a slot...two vs maybe twelve possibilities), and wherever the rotor pointed, I made that #1, and then just followed the firing order. Then I'd static time it. If the engine farted and pooped when trying to start, I would switch all of the wires 180 deg, and off we went. It's all relative...but, it did drive some of my co-workers nuts if they got the car in for subsequent service when #1 was where #5 or whatever was supposed to be. :devilgrin:
 
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