Hey guys,I have a 1991 f150 302 motor. I'm wanting to put it in my 1964 f100. I carburated the motor, and I was wanting to put a thumper cam in it. I wasn't thinking, and took out the distributor without marking anything. So I got the cam and a new distributor. I've took everything off the front,( a/c, pulley, power steering,etc), all the way up to the timing chain cover. I need help from here in putting the cam/lifters in. How do I get the engine in tdc? Then I put the cam in, and how do I put the new distributor in?

 

Both the cam and crank sprockets are keyed, and should have locating dots stamped into them. So you first turn the crank so the dot on the crank sprocket would point up. Then you install the cam and turn it so that the dot on its sprocket would point down, toward the dot on the crank sprocket. If the cam can be installed at different positions, choose the position first, then line up the cam. Now install both sprockets with the chain, and make sure the dots on the sprockets still point to each other.

Installing the distributor comes later, and since the gear is spiral, it will turn the rotor and shaft some 20-30 degrees counter-clockwise (I think, check to be sure) as it seats, you would have to start with the rotor turned the other way by that much to compensate for it to land on the #1 terminal. Position the distributor so that the vacuum canister has some clearance either way for adjustments before actually stabbing it in. Also, the gear position may or may not be in phase with the oil pump drive shaft, so you may have to play with the rotor a little to get the shaft to seat. This could throw off the rotor position, which you would have to make up for with final timing adjustment by turning the distributor body. If you find that you do not have the clearance to do that, you will have to pull the distributor and try again moving the gear one tooth one way or the other.

 

Thank you so much, that's exactly what I was wondering, and it completely explained everything so I note have another question: since my truck won't have a/c or power steering, and the motor does, off I take both of them off, how do I make the belt?

 

If you remove both the AC and PS pumps, you will need something to route the belt around the water pump pulley. You could either leave the AC compressor in place, assuming its pulley is in good condition, but don't hook it up, or install an AC eliminator pulley.