Hiya...
heres the story of the day..

I puttered off to get a load of hay today, it sounded like I had a miss, but I was going to replace the plugs and wires today so I ignored it.

on the way home, it ran like heck and I had to keep it choked to get any power at all.
in the driveway I notice when you give it gas it seemed to die out.

On my to do list was new fuel filter plugs wires, and while it was all apart I figured hey, why not pull the distributor out to peer inside and check those teeth and other stuff...

That want a problem, I poped it back in then I remembered you have to mark the thing or you have to retime it.

Thats ok, I forgot to mark all the wires when I took em off. (I have a book, who needs to mark stuff right? DUH)

so here my problem starts...
I know I didnt put the distributor back in the same way, because the vaccum advancce can is in a slightly different place (well, now you can turn it and it doesnt hit the engine, good I guess)

as per the book, I put #1 cylinder TDC, the timing marks (2 notches on the pully) are centered on the pointy strip of metal you use to line em up.

now, the rotor isnt on #1... I mean #1 marked on the distributor cap. Its a few plugs over but not opposite.

here is where I get screwed up..
I think I have cyl #1 at TDC (piston up marks alligned), the tip of the rotor is now pointing at what should be #1 cylinders wire.

I hook up #1, and the going counterclockwise, add them as per the fireing order requires.

it should at least try to start.... a pop now and then thats all.

what did I do wrong?

it was running, even not at its best, before I moved the distributor and put on the new wires and plugs.

I assume I goofed setting the distributor.

its a 73' 390 engine, 2 barrel, with breaker points, and the rotor cap and points are pretty clean (not burned).

any advice you fellas can gimme I apreciate.

I feel stupid, ive reset distributors before, I dunno what I'm missing here.

 

Every time, I mean every time, I re-installed my dizzy, I ended up off by one tooth. Ensure your plugs wires are in the right spot, and your #1 is at TDC on the compression stroke. Turn your dizzy as far advanced as possible, and try it again. You may need to re-install the dizzy.

 

ah, that was it... off by one spark plug on the rotation order...

well, now it runs again, but we are back to the same problem I had thismorning. As soon as it warms up, if you hit the gas it dies out. the only way to move it is with the choke all the way out.
It idles fine... if you want an idling doorstop.

but it was doing this before I touvched the distributor today so... another thread is in order.

I wrote all these things down under the hood, just in case I have a curious itch to remove the distributor again.

 

2ndmouse, you've got fuel problems. Maybe the accelerator pump is weak or there's a vacuum leak. Yes, another thread is the best bet.

I never understood the "one tooth off" problem, can't you just rotate the dizzy in the direction that it's off? (assuming the vac. advance doesn't hit anything)

 

thats what i thought, but I couldnt get it to work.
I couldnt turn the body enough till i moved all the plugs one step to the left.
then I had room to turn it properly.

its just as well i goofed this moring, the vac advance was jambed against the engine and you couldnt advance it any. the last owners probably didnt set it in right.
I droped it in so i have about a half a swing either way.

sounds like a new carb and pump is in order...

 

Ok, you got my curiosity. I counted 15 teeth on the dizzy gear so if it was off one tooth then the rotor would be off a little more than half the distance between towers. Now I can see how that would be a problem rotating to compensate without the vacuum advance hitting a wall.

About the carb, why not buy a kit and rebuild it yourself? I think you would have better luck than buying a rebuilt one, my experience is the rebuilt carbs are trash.

 

sounds like a plan to be, and a cheaper i imagine too.

I think by "teeth off" they mean like I had... one spark plug socket off. the distributor is turned enough to be forward or backward 1 plug.

at least that was my problem...
as I was wiggling the thing back in place you are right one tooth on the gear wouldnt be that far.
2 or 4 teeth might be a problem depending on where the advance can is.

 

You end up one tooth off because evry time the dizzy is tightened down by the holding clamp the gears mesh and the rotor rotates backwards retarding the timing. So to compensate you have to install it 1 tooth advance and when it is tightened down it is right on. Had this happen too many times so I have mastered the dizzy removel and installation.

 

the interesting sidenote adventure....

I discovered what an oil pump shaft rod thing is.

several times I gently pulled the distributor out, looking at that long thin rod on the end thinking....

wha?

reading the next to useless chiltins misinformation manual, I discovered what it was.
then when it fell in the engine I discovered my adrenalin glands work.

now by some fortune of dumb luck it fell in and wedged in upright where i could reach it with a pair of foreceps...

haha, no way too short.

my magnet on a stick?
noooooo the mag head is a wee bit to fat.
sticky stuff on a stick?
oil wont stick to anything sticky.
mm mm mm

I finally after a while taped a magnetetic socket driver to a stick and fished it out.
c a r e f u l l y.

again my arenalin glands showed me they worked.

good thing it fit snug in the distributor and didnt come out unless you pulled it (how it fell out I dunno) I got it back in.
it wouldnt go in allthe way.


the chiltons misinformation manual said move the engine to make it seat.
that worked.. yipee!

after it started i was relived to see I have normal oil pressure.. it must have gotten in the right hole down there.

Riddle me this;
the chiltons misinformation manual says "if the pump rod comes out with the distributor, SIMPLY place it back in the pump..."

I assume you guys have actually doe this mistake and know thats impossible.
its way down in the engine..
how do you "simply put it back" if it isnt connected to the distributor??

I fear the day I have to remove the distributor again, I dont think my adrenalin glands can hack it.

it was pretty funny an hour after....

 

you will be pulling the oil pan to get it if you can't get hold of it.

 

Your absolutely correct FEP. But, inspite of knowing this fact, I still don't get it far enough ahead to compenstate for the twist when it's installed. I figure after a few dozen more installations, I'll get it figured out.