How to remove a distributor?

[Tinster]

Jeff at Advanced Distributors has asked me to send him
my rebuilt dizzy for a diagnostic check. I've been having
some problems with rotors eating distributor caps and then
shorting my ignition system.

I know how to remove the dizzy but NOT how to do it properly.
Last time I just yanked it out and sent it to Jeff for a rebuilt.
Then I had to pull off the valve cover, find tdc, static time
the car and then adjust all the valves, timing
light the dizzy and install a new valve cover gasket.
A real PITA.

I know there must be a way of pulling the dizzy and making marks
somewhere, so that I can just drop in the dizzy when I get it
back from Jeff. BTW: My dog is 180* reversed.

My car runs so sweet right now, I'd just hate to mess up the
timing or valve settings.

So, how do I pull the dizzy properly? Bentley is not
alot of help.

thanks,

dale

 

[DNK]

Dale- Turn the motor over by hand to TDC, make sure #1 is at TDC and not 180* off. Then pull the dizzy.
When you get it back just stick it back in . Don't move the crank until then and your golden.

 

[Tinster]

Don- is the engine at tdc when the rotor is pointing toward
No.1 dizzy cap lead AND the points are open??

thanks,

dale

 

[DNK]

The engine is approx. At TDC when the time mark on the pulley is @0 and the rotor points to #1

 

[Silverghost]

Dale, make sure you have #1 at TDC on the COMPRESSION stroke.

This is easy to check - take the #1 cylinder spark plug out and place your thumb over the #1 cylinder spark plug hole as the engine is turned over by hand. Or have a friend put their thumb over the hole as you turn the engine over. The piston coming up will push air and this will push the thumb away from the hole. You can shine a light in the hole and should be able to see the face of the piston. You're at TDC on the compression stroke.

Then take several pictures of the dizzy with the cap off so you'll know it's position when you took it out. This will be useful for the reinstallation. Use a marker or paint pen and make a mark on the base of the dizzy and the block where it sits in the block as a reference mark for later. Also use the marker or pen and mark the location of the rotor on the dizzy housing. This SHOULD be pointing at the #1 cylinder plug wire connection. This way, when you go to reinstall the dizzy, make sure the rotor points to the mark on the housing and the mark on the base matches the mark on the block and you're back in in the right position. Sometimes the dizzy will slide back in and be off a tooth in either direction. You will know if this happens because the rotor will not line up with the mark you made. Slide it back out and turn the shaft just a little and slide it back in.

MAJOR POINT: Do NOT turn the engine again until the dizzy goes back in. Just don't.

I hope this is helpful. I know if I missed any details others will chime in.
Peter

 

[Silverghost]

Dale, TDC with rotor pointing a #1 plug wire and points OPEN is exhaust stroke - no compression. Points CLOSED will fire the spark plug, combusting mixture in cylinder = compression.

 

[Twosheds]

I thought that the spark plug fires when the points just open.

 

[DrEntropy]

They do, John.

 

[RonMacPherson]

First thing is to pop the distributor cap, turn the engine by hand to where the rotor is pointing to the #1 wire. Then check the crank damper on the front to see if the timing mark is near the vicinity of tdc. If so, pop the distributor out...

 

[TR3driver]

FWIW, you don't actually need to do any of that stuff. Remove the cap and make a mark on something to show you the rotor position. Then don't turn the engine while the dizzy is out. Reinstall it with the rotor in the same place.

Since Jeff may clean or replace your distributor, make your mark on something else. But usually, you can just make the mark on the dizzy body.

 

[machinemd]

Dale,

I agree with both Randall and Silverghost....numerous marks as well as digital pix both before and after to get it in right the first time. Actually, the digital camera is my best friend for everything where memory is needed.

Steve

 

[BobbyD]

Correct me if I'm wrong....and I frequently am but....... with the dog in the pedestal base, the distributor can only go back in two ways: perfect or 180 degrees off. As long as you've marked when the rotor is pointing relative to the distributor housing, you should get it back in perfectly. That is assuming you haven't turned the engine over while the distributor was out of the car. I think that's how you guys explained it to me two years ago when I asked the same question.

 

[Andrew Mace]

Correct me if I'm wrong....and I frequently am but....... with the dog in the pedestal base, the distributor can only go back in two ways: perfect or 180 degrees off.

Actually, no, I don't think so, since those "drive slots" are a bit off-center. But the gear can be removed and reset in however many different positions as there are gear teeth.

...or am I confused? :confuse:

 

[TR3driver]

Actually, it shouldn't even go back in 180 out. The slot you point out is offset slightly from the centerline, so the dog should fit only one way.

And you are quite right, as long as the gear's mesh with the cam is not disturbed, there shouldn't be an issue. I was thinking of most cars (like the Stag), where the gear is on the distributor shaft.

 

[Twosheds]

They do, John.

Whew, that's a relief. Wouldn't like to think I told my Aircraft Ignition System students something wrong!

Anyways, if you mark it like The Randall said to, I don't think it would matter if the engine is turned with the distributor removed, although I don't know why you would want to turn it.

 

[BobbyD]

Actually, no, I don't think so, since those "drive slots" are a bit off-center. But the gear can be removed and reset in however many different positions as there are gear teeth...or am I confused? :confuse:

Andy.....I was "assuming" that the distributor would just be pulled straight up and out and that the drive-slot piece would remain undisturbed so that those gears under it wouldn't be affected......but we know the danger of assuming things

 

[Tinster]

Actually, it shouldn't even go back in 180 out. The slot you point out is offset slightly from the centerline, so the dog should fit only one way.

And you are quite right, as long as the gear's mesh with the cam is not disturbed, there shouldn't be an issue. I was thinking of most cars (like the Stag), where the gear is on the distributor shaft.

<span style="color: #000099">Very true Randall as I know from experience. My dog was installed
by a DPO 180* out.

Now I hate always being stupid BUT when my rotor is pointing at plug no. 1,
my timing slot is no where in sight. Four revolutions of the rotor to plug No.1
and I never get the timing slot lined up with the arrow at any 90*.

My pulley wheel does not have degrees. I have one full slot and one half slot.
When I set my timing light at 12* advance, the light flashes on the full slot
cut in the timing pulley.

So what next should I try to pull the dizzy and just drop it back in when it
returns from Jeff?</span>

 

[TR3driver]

Dale, if the engine runs well as it is (as I believe you have said it does), then I would just leave well enough alone. Just send the dizzy to Jeff so he can determine the problem with the rotor hitting the cap, and reinstall it as-is when he sends it back.

But I have to say that your description above makes no sense to me. With the timing light set to 0, the rotor MUST be pointing at least approximately to the terminal when the light fires. If you have the light connected to #1, then the rotor is lined up with #1. Yes, it's not precise, but it has to be pretty close (otherwise the spark would not jump from the rotor to the terminal, and go down the wire to trigger the light). 12 crank degrees of advance is only 6 degrees of rotor rotation, which falls under the heading of "pretty close".

 

[DrEntropy]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:] So what next should I try to pull the dizzy and just drop it back in when it
returns from Jeff? [/QUOTE]

....yes....

You'll need to (or be compelled to) check/set the timing when it goes back in ANYWAY.

T'were mine, I'd just continue to drive it. No way could that rotor have damaged the shaft. I ain't havin' it. It trashed itself and the cap. That's it. Dizzy's fine.

I've TEN Flebs says it'll get a clean bill o' health from Jeff. Any takers?

 

[Moseso]

I've TEN Flebs says it'll get a clean bill o' health from Jeff. Any takers?

I'm in on your side Doc! Doc & I are betting 20 that the diz is OK.