All,

As part of an engine swap I performed last weekend, I retained my old distributor, being careful to mark the relationship of the rotor to the housing and the housing to the body.

What I FORGOT to do, however, was make sure both engines were at TDC, Compression Stroke for #1.

To my amazement, it started and ran (not well, but it ran). I must have gotten the distributor 180 degrees from where it should have been because I had to time it to #6 to make it run right.

Sunday I decided to fix it correctly and set the engine to TDC, Compression Stroke #1, pulled the distributor out and turned it 180 degrees so that the rotor was pointing at roughly #1. Now, this took some fumbling as the oil pump drive cog wouldn't let me seat the distributor all the way.

It wouldn't start. Any ideas?

I THINK I'm doing everything correctly (Turn Engine to #1 TDC on the Compression Stroke, Insert Distributor so Rotor points to #1 wire)

Am I doing anything wrong?

My next step is to have my wife crank the engine while I point the timing light (connected to #1) at the timing marks to see how far off I am.

Thanks,

Scott

1985 F-150
300 I-6 TFI/EEC Ignition

 

If you are absoluteley sure that you have the engine #1 cylinder at TDC you shouldn't have too much trouble getting it started. While somebody cranks the engine move the distributor in either direction (more likely towards advanced) until it starts and lock down the distributor bolt just enough to hold position. With your timing light connected start the engoine and set the timing to spec and tighten the hold down bolt. If it still won't start check your connections at the coil and distributor, you may have disconnected something.

 

You stated that the dist wont seat all the way down. You are correct that the oil shaft is not going all the way in. If you are certain that you have the #1 at TDC than as you install the dist, using a remote starter switch, just tap the starter motor to slight turn the motor. This should allow the dist to set in. Than just set timing. Not to be funny, check your firing order and make sure that you are going in the right direction. Have done it before were installed wiring backwards.

Dave

http://a2ztowing.homestead.com/a2ztowing.html

 

All,

Fixing this was easier than I expected. A friend at work suggested I use the old engine (which I still had) to fix the problem. Duh. Exactly! I put the distributor back in the old engine, rotated it to #1 compression and marked it. Pulled it out and popped it into the new engine (already at #1 compression), fixed the wires and I got it close enough to start.

I guess I'll keep my day job.

Scott