Installing 226 Distributor Backwards
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Central Connecticut
Installing 226 Distributor Backwards
I've been reading old threads about installing and trouble shooting problems with the distributor on a 226. In one thread bobj49f2 talks about the distributor being installed 180 degrees off. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ont-start.html I don't understand how this can happen. If the vacuum diaphragm is pointing to the front and the notch on the cap is engaged with the square tooth on the distributor body, how can it be off by 180 degrees? I'm not questioning Bob's knowledge of the subject, just trying to avoid making the same mistake myself.
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Joined: Dec 2009
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From: Central Connecticut
I read the same advice this afternoon in the shop manual. Unfortunately, I pulled it about 8 years ago and didn't mark anything. If it's not marked, how do you determine the correct position of the shaft.
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From: Central Connecticut
Sorry to be so dense. So if it's off by 180 degrees then the rotor must have been pointing to #6 instead of #1. Correct?
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From: St Albert, Alberta
I've been reading old threads about installing and trouble shooting problems with the distributor on a 226. In one thread bobj49f2 talks about the distributor being installed 180 degrees off. https://www.ford-trucks.com/forums/1...ont-start.html I don't understand how this can happen. If the vacuum diaphragm is pointing to the front and the notch on the cap is engaged with the square tooth on the distributor body, how can it be off by 180 degrees? I'm not questioning Bob's knowledge of the subject, just trying to avoid making the same mistake myself.
For each complete cycle in a 4 stroke engine the piston will be at TDC twice , once on the compression stroke and once on the exhaust stroke.
If the distributor rotor is 180° out on a multi cylinder engine out it will fire the spark plug on the exhaust stroke instead of the compression stroke. This will ignite the fuel air charge at the end of the exhaust stroke and the beginning of the intake stroke leading to back fires out the exhaust and out the carburetor due to valve overlap.
If the engine is TDC on the exhaust stroke on cylinder number 1 and you install the distributor so the rotor is pointing at cylinder number 1 on the distributor cap the ignition timing is what is referred to as being 180° out, as it will fire the spark plug when each cylinder is on the exhaust stroke instead of the compression stroke.
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Yes, on a 6 cyl
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To timing your distributor to your engine; Just pull number 1 spark plug, place your finger over the hole and crank the engine. When you feel pressure (not suction) your on compression stroke. Line your timing mark on your vibration damper to 0 and install your distributor with the rotor pointing to the number 1 plug wire terminal.
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From: Central Connecticut
John, Mathew, Ross, & BJ - Thanks for the explanations, I think it's finally starting to sink in. I knew this stuff better when I was in high school but haven't really thought about it in 50 years and the fellow who was going to help me get the truck started was transferred to Georgia a couple of months ago so now I'm on my own. Without FTE I'd be up the creek.
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I did the same thing on my 226 after getting it back together. It will make sense once you do it wrong like i did. I thought i could just align the timing mark and set the wires to #1/etc however like the other mentioned you go around twice so it's kind of luck of the draw. I did the finger over the plug hole trick and quickly realized what was going on. She fired right up after that.
John, Mathew, Ross, & BJ - Thanks for the explanations, I think it's finally starting to sink in. I knew this stuff better when I was in high school but haven't really thought about it in 50 years and the fellow who was going to help me get the truck started was transferred to Georgia a couple of months ago so now I'm on my own. Without FTE I'd be up the creek.
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