distributor problem
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distributor problem
i checked my timing a few weeks ago in my 1979 f 150 4x4 w/ 400 and t 18 and noticed that it was not set at the 8 degrees advanced it was supposed to be. It was set up at 0. I finally got around to messing with it and i loosened it up and turned it clockwise slightly. I barely moved it and the vacuum advance unit hits the thermostat housing. I have never heard of a problem like this before and was wondering what i needed to do. I advanced it as far as possible and it was not pinging at all. I do not have access to a timing light right now i may borrow a friends this weekend or may end up going and buying one myself. I dont want to buy one too badly cuz money is tight and i dont want to buy a timing light that i will barely use. Any advice or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
Post Fiend
Joined: Jun 2003
Posts: 5,643
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From: NE Texas
Somtimes, Josh, when a person replaces a distributor they stab it one cog too far. That sounds like what may have happened here.
Just remove the spark plug wires and place them one hole over counterclockwise on the distributor cap. This should get you back to where you need to be.
The right thing to do is remove and restab the distributor, but in some cases the best thing and right thing are two different things.
Just remove the spark plug wires and place them one hole over counterclockwise on the distributor cap. This should get you back to where you need to be.
The right thing to do is remove and restab the distributor, but in some cases the best thing and right thing are two different things.
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well i tried moving the wires then moving the rotor, both counterclockwise and i had some problems but i am going to go buy a timing light to check a few things now. hopefully i will get it fixed.
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ok i have one more question. I went and bought myself a timing light but did not get around to checking it yet i am going to wait till tomorrow. i moved the plug wires back one counter clockwise like you guys said but i was questioning what u meant by turning back the dizzy so that the rotor would line up with the proper plug wire. do i have to just turn the distributor body back with the bolt loose or do i have to partially remove the distributor so that i can turn the rotor back one notch or w/e you want to call it. because what i did was remove it partially and turn the rotor back. to me this would just be redoing what was done before but then what do i know. any more info would be appreciated and thanks for all your responses so far.
Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Franklin, GA
Picture this. Your vac diaphragm is bumping the thermo housing, so you move the plug wires back one hole each. Let's say you are at tdc on #1, that would mean your rotor button is pointed at #1 plug wire, before you moved the wires one hole. After the wires are moved, your rotor is still sitting in the same place, so you are now at tdc and your rotor is pointing at #8 plug wire. Loosen the dizzy's clamp bolt and twist the dizzy around so the rotor is pointing at #1 again. If you have already pulled the dizzy up out of the hole, turned the shaft, and reseated it and have the clamp back on it, you're OK. All you have left to do is put the wires back in their original configuration before you moved them and turn the dizzy body till the rotor is pointing at the same plug wire contact as it was before you pulled it.
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alright that is a good explanation and i now understand. i will do the rest tomorrow and inform ya of how it goes. thanks for the help i now understand the whole concept.
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Elder User
Joined: Jan 2004
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From: Franklin, GA
OK, cool! Sorry I got you confused with the earlier post. Sometimes I think better than I type. Got it in my head, just need to get it to my fingers a little better! Looking forward to reading your results.
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well i think i got it fixed now finally. it is running great now. thanks for all the help. it was interesting messing with the timing on it. the only other time i have messed with it is when i helped a friend put a new motor in his chevy and now that was very interesting but it was a good time.
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