distributor... Stuck????
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distributor... Stuck????
Hello all, I was retiming my motor and couldnt get it started when the 1st plug is lined up with the rotor and my timing cover is @ around 10 degrees BTDC. it also wouldnt start when it was at 0 degrees. I know that I am getting fuel, but occasionally when I am trying to start it it wil shoot flames out the carb, or a big blast of air and fuel. Then the next time i attempted to retime it it backfired as loud as a frickin gunshot and all the neighbors were pist lol. This guy came over to help me time it and he walked to plugs and it got started but wasnt running well, and it wouldnt start the next day so i tried to retime it again, and nothing happened. My distributor has vacuum advance so i cant exactly turn IT 180 degrees, but ever since after that guy redid the timing when he was messing with it, I CAN'T GET THE DISTRIBUTOR OUT OF THE MOTOR! I've tried jiggling it and crap but it wont come out. I want to turn it around and line up the 1 plug when the rotor is facing the other way. Vacuum advance is keeping me from rotating it all the way around. Thanks I need help on this one so i can get my motor retimed.
Posting Legend
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Moved to what I think may be the proper forum. This is a common problem with the 351M/400 and you will find many threads on it here.
If you have not replaced the timing chain your timing chain may have jumped a tooth, or two, or three...
If you have not replaced the timing chain your timing chain may have jumped a tooth, or two, or three...
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Junior User
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Well I cant even get it to run when I follow the instructions and line up rotor with plug one when it is at about 12 DBTDC. Wha tthe hell is with this?! I even tried cranking when I had someone slowly torate distributor and it wouldn't start!! I don't know what to do.
Posting Legend
Joined: Sep 2001
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It won't run with the timing chain off by a tooth or more.
If the timing changed "suddenly" it is most likely a timing chain problem. Sometimes the mechanical advance mechanism in the distributor freezes up. Make sure it is free to move.
This reminds me of the old days when techs would pull a malfunctioning computer board and try different positions for all of the jumpers boards had on them in the old days. I just had to laugh and ask them if the board was running b4, did those little jumpers jump around to new positions by themselves? Pulling the jumpers, and putting them back on, resetting the ICs in their sockets, as well as pulling the card itself cleaned any contacts and many times mysteriously "fixed" the board.
In this case did the distributor mysteriously turn around in the engine block all of a sudden? Of course not! If the timing is off by more than a few degrees start looking for that frozen advance mechanism and if not that, look at the timing chain. Check it for slack according to the service manuals.
If you don't find the problem there then start looking for more esoteric problems like a broken cam, etc etc...
If the timing changed "suddenly" it is most likely a timing chain problem. Sometimes the mechanical advance mechanism in the distributor freezes up. Make sure it is free to move.
This reminds me of the old days when techs would pull a malfunctioning computer board and try different positions for all of the jumpers boards had on them in the old days. I just had to laugh and ask them if the board was running b4, did those little jumpers jump around to new positions by themselves? Pulling the jumpers, and putting them back on, resetting the ICs in their sockets, as well as pulling the card itself cleaned any contacts and many times mysteriously "fixed" the board.
In this case did the distributor mysteriously turn around in the engine block all of a sudden? Of course not! If the timing is off by more than a few degrees start looking for that frozen advance mechanism and if not that, look at the timing chain. Check it for slack according to the service manuals.
If you don't find the problem there then start looking for more esoteric problems like a broken cam, etc etc...
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I just went through this with mine. First, get your distributor freed back up. I have done this by LIGHTLY tapping on it with a rubber mallet to prying them out with a crowbar, whatever works. Then take off your distributor cap and lay it out of the way, with the plug wires still attached by the way. Then, get a 15/16 socket and breaker bar hooked up to your harmonic balancer bolt. Start turnig the engine over by hand until the rotor starts moving, then stop and go the other way until the rotor starts moving the other way. If you get more than a few degrees of free play before it goes the other way, your timing chain is shot. It's probably jumped a tooth and thats why it won't start. My chain hadn't jumped a tooth yet but I had 30-35 degrees of movement so thats why it wouldn't run. It took me about three hours to change.
Chris
Chris
Last edited by wycowboy79; Jul 10, 2004 at 08:53 AM. Reason: corrected spelling mistakes
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From: chicago burbs
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Yep, forgot about that one. The roll pin is more likely than the timing chain. Actually, you can make an engine that has jumped a link on the timing chain run fairly well by retiming the dizzy. It's basically the same as retarding it a few degrees. Where you run into trouble is when it jumps the second time. Now the engine can't be made to run well at all.
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From: chicago burbs
i did an experiment on an AMC 252 in a Javelin, i set the cam one tooth advanced at the timing set. it ran pretty good off idle but gave up real quick. and it made a distinct intake sound while it was trying. by the tooth count i figured it was 10* advanced.
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From: Delaware
Advancing the cam 10 degrees will close the intake valve to soon. It will make good power at low revs, but the cylinders will starve at midrange.
To get the dist. out, wedge a small nail puller between the dist base and the block. You may need to tap it in with a hammer, spray with WD40 or other lubricant, and apply pressure on the nail puller.
It sounds like it is just 180 degrees out. You need the rotor pointing to #1 when the #1 piston is TDC and the timing mark is at 0 to 10 BTDC.
Check the firing order your neighbor may have switched plugs to get it to start.
To get the dist. out, wedge a small nail puller between the dist base and the block. You may need to tap it in with a hammer, spray with WD40 or other lubricant, and apply pressure on the nail puller.
It sounds like it is just 180 degrees out. You need the rotor pointing to #1 when the #1 piston is TDC and the timing mark is at 0 to 10 BTDC.
Check the firing order your neighbor may have switched plugs to get it to start.
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