When trying to set timing I can only twist distributor clockwise enough to get to 7 degrees btdc before it makes contact with fuel rail and will go no further. I must be one tooth off. Is it feasible to move each wire clockwise one spot or will that put it out of range in the other direction? Right now the electrical connector on the distributor is facing straight towards the front of the truck or 6:00. If it were clocked correctly I'm thinking it should be more at maybe 4:00 position.

Well, after thinking about it I don't think moving the wires will work. That will be a 45 degree difference and probably too much. So, I guess I've answered my own question, I have to pull the distributor up enough for clearance and rotate the shaft one tooth counter clockwise?

 

58 views and no help?

 

Did you have the distributor out? I'd say your best bet is to find TDC and reposition the distributor.

EDIT: went out and looked at my 302. Facing the engine the TFI connector is around 5 o' clock.

 

Are you sure the balancer is reading correctly? The outer ring may have slipped thus be reading wrong.

 

Thanks, that tells me I'm one tooth off. I'm going to proceed as I said above and pull distributor up just enough to allow rotating the shaft. Being I could not rotate clockwise far enough to reach 10 btdc, am I correct in thinking I need to rotate counter clockwise?

 

Sounds right

 

Based on an experience I had last year with one of my 460's, I'm thinking the "one tooth back" adjustment is too far, for as small an adjustment as you described, on an engine that runs.

Try to get back with your findings, whatever they may be.

 

I don't see how I have much of a choice, I can't go a 1/2 tooth back and I can only get to 5 degrees as it stands now. I know originally I said 7, but that was with the snap on plastic protector removed from the end of the fuel rail where the distributor makes contact. I put it back on and I'm closer to 5 btdc now. Anybody know how many teeth are on the distributor gear? If I knew that I'd know exactly how many degrees one tooth difference would make. Anyway it's going to be slow at work tomorrow so I'll probably do it then.

 

Found out there are 15 teeth on the gear which means one tooth difference is 24 degrees. So where my distributor sits now at 5 degrees btdc, clockwise as far as it can go, rotating it counter clockwise one tooth would put it at 29 degrees btdc slammed all the way clockwise. I'll still have the full range of retard adjustment to get to 12 degrees btdc. I feel better about it now!

 

Number one plug on the distributor cap should be really close to parallel the the crankshaft center line. So yes move it CCW one tooth.

 

Got it done this morning and all is good now. It went like I was hoping and didn't even have to pull any wires. When I first checked timing yesterday it was reading exactly 0 TDC. So when I said I could only get to 5 btdc that was after trying to adjust it, which means I've been running at 0 since I changed out the distributor six months ago. I think what happened then is I didn't have a chalk stick and used a piece of blue tape on the dampener and set the timing using the wrong side of the tape! Anyway, I'm at work and did it on the job and haven't had a chance to drive it yet, but going from 0 to 12 degrees should make a huge difference.

 

And you are doing this with the spout connector removed, right ?

 

Yes, spout removed. Timing is taken care of. Now on to the stalling issue.