Hi all,

I just installed my distributor over the weekend. My concern is that the vacuum canister is "WAY" over to one side. It is crowding the upper radiator hose. Also, they are usually pointed towards the front...right?

My question: How do I get the vacuum canister to point to the front without messing up my timing? Or going the BTDC all over again... Is there some sort of trick to it?

I was thinking of removing the dizzy cap...mark the location of the rotor and pulling out the housing and rotating it and the rotor until the vacuum canister lines up to the front.

Is this the best way to do it?

Thanks,
biz
1976 F150 4x4 390FE

 

Yea, it sounds as though you have it 180° off. I would pull the distributor, set the engine to top dead center ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE. (I just put my thumb over number one and when it blows off, that's the compression stroke). Anyhow, then just stab the distributor. When you put it in set the rotor 30 or so degrees counter clockwise from the actual number one location as it will spin a bit when it engages.

You can actuall set it anywhere as long as you have the firing order right but it makes it hard to do the ignition timing if it's not factory. Good luck.
jor

 

If it is 180 off, then will the truck still run? Mine seems to run GREAT...I just want to move that vacuum more from the right side to the left side (centered).

Thanks again!
biz

 

No, if it is 180 out it will not run. You can reset it, but you are going to have to pull it out to do it. Pull the cap and mark where the rotor is pointing, pull the dist. up and turn it to where you want the vacum to point, and set it back in and retime it.

 

No, the truck will not run if 180 out. However, it does sound like you are a tooth off on the cam and it easy to cure. Get set up to pull the dist. The when you pull it out, only lift it far enough to turn the dist. with the rotor moving with the dist. toward the front of the engine far enough to have the vacuum pointed towards the front. BTW, the rotor will rotate a bit as you lift the dist, but will rotate back when you reinstall the dist. You will probably not be able to get the oil pump shaft to slide back into the dist. without either moving the shaft with a socket(requires pulling dist. clear out) or bumping the motor over to get the shaft to mesh with the dist, and have the dist. drop all the way in the motor.

 

Either that or, without removing the dizzy, while turning the dizzy body counter-clockwise, count off one or two posts (45 or 90 degrees rotation) and then move all the spark plug wires one or two posts to the right.

Then, retime the initial to get it perfect.

 

That would work too, but some people have to have the number 1 plug wire on the dist. cap terminal that is marked #1. Me, I don't care as long as it runs tight. I don't even have to have the dist. in so the vacuum unit is front and centered as long as I can get enough advance to run properly. Back in the dark ages when I raced one of my '69 428CJ in other than stock, I ran a dual point 427 unit without vacuum and I always dropped it in wherever it would go and rewired the cap.

 

For years I never knew there was a "1" on the cap, and once I saw it, had no idea what it meant... until I read it in a Motor's/Chilton's manual ...



Some of the aftermarket caps I bought over the years didn't even have the "1" on them...

Do other Ford engines that use the same cap have "1" at the same clock position?

 

Hey, wait a minute. I think everyone that is saying this is referring to someone using TDC of the exhaust stroke. The original poster was talking about positioning his vacuum canister so it was facing the back of the engine, thus 180° off. As long as the plug wires are in the distributor cap in the proper order and #1 was set at TDC of the compression stroke, it doesn't matter how the distributor is positioned. (imo of course).
jor

 

Can't be done. The vacuum unit will hit the manifold before the dist. and cam gears mesh.

 

Jor,

Sorry for any confusion. But I was not talking about having my vacuum canister facing the back of the engine. I was trying to explain that the vacuum canister was off towards the right side of the engine...and very close to the upper radiator hose. I prefer that the vacuum canister face straight ahead towards the front.

Heck...I didn't realize how much room I was going to need so that I could advance the timing per my application. Try...try...again...

Appreciate your comments...and all comments for sure!

biz

 

Yikes. That's what I get for inattentive reading. Thanks (humbly spoken).
jor