Can Distributor be 180 deg out?

hastypacer
hastypacer Member
in "How To" - Skills, mechanical and other wise

Hi all. I have a question:

My recently rebuilt '53 262 refuses to start. I have good blue spark to my points and to my plugs; getting good fuel to the intake manifold but no ignition. So I checked TDC with NO. 1 Piston and found the points aiming at 180 deg to my former mark on my distributor cap. I remember installing my distributor to the cam has the slot a little off center requiring just one proper position for the dist shaft. Is it possible my distributor could be 180 deg out? My rebuilder could have set the cam chain for firing at NO. 6 TDC?


Can I just set the distributor to fire in the new order as observed, or do I open my timing case and reroute the chain.

I am including pics showing the position of my flywheel and the position of the points (pointing opposite to my pre-rebuild setting.) I don't know if this position is universal for step-down engines, but it is 180 deg. out from my usual as I marked everything before tear-down.


Any ideas or experience is greatly appreciated; someone else may have had a similar situation.


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Comments

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor

    Yes, it can be out, but that's not the end of the world, just reposition the leads, starting with Np. 1 lead in the hole where the rotor is po8nting and then follow on clockwise 1-5-3-6-2-4

  • cheyenne7271
    cheyenne7271 Member

    Sound like the oil pump is 180° off. Which makes the distributor 180 off.

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Thanks, Geoff and Cheyenne. I will reroute my spark-plug leads. I thought my distributor had a slot that was just off center, and could go in only one way. I will make the adjustment and report back.

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor

    It can only go in one way, but it doesn't really matter if the leads are 180 deg. out, as you can just switch them around, much easier than removing the pump and realigning the gears. If you did have it around the wrong way, that is with the offset at the bottom wrongly inserted, the distributor would wriggle around with the distortion.

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Thanks, Geoff and Cheyenne. I will reroute my spark-plug leads. I will make the adjustment and report back.

  • Courtesy Man
    Courtesy Man Expert Adviser

    Hudson made a tool for that - when oil pump on Big Six is removed this tool adjusts the oil pump gear to be in the correct position for the distributor - I have replicated that tool if you need one. Thanks, Gert

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Hi Courtesy Man,

    Yes. I would be interested in your tool. It sounds like it will put my distributor back in sync with oil pump. How do I acquire one?


    Thanks,

    David

  • Courtesy Man
    Courtesy Man Expert Adviser

    Hi I have one ready to go. $50 plus 15 shipping Priority Mail - personal check is fine. Gert Kristiansen 1731 S 500 E, Salt Lake City UT 84105.

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Thanks Gert, check is on the way.


    Best,


    David

  • Courtesy Man
    Courtesy Man Expert Adviser

    David check came today - will let you know when I ship - thanks, Gert

  • hastypacer
    hastypacer Member

    Thanks Courtesy Man,

    It's been about 6 months, but I am back to report; better late than never. The toll you sent me will work exactly as laid out in the manual I have for my Pacemaker. The important thing to know is that it will only service the install when the engine is out of the car, on the stand. And it is an excellent tool for this. My issue is that my engine had already been installed and the pump could not be manipulated easily with the wheel well in the way. So I ended up fumbling the pump in a bit, and setting the timing for the distributor lobe that was appropriate. Engine runs excellent. Special tool not needed for this process.


    However, here in central CA, I have a tool that is good for those engines being rebuilt on the stand if someone can use it, send me a DM (I'll be using it on my next rebuild.)


    Best

  • KenU_Tx
    KenU_Tx Member
    edited November 21

    If the front motor mounts are in good condition, then the oil pump alignment tool Gert makes will work with the engine in the car, but would be best to have another pump to block gasket, as the one on the engine can tear when pulling pump off. It sounds like your front mounts are old and squished down so that the oil pump will hit the frame when trying to pull it out the block to clear the pump gear from the cam gear. Your pump looks to be off only two teeth clockwise from the correct position (@64 degrees). So yes, it is easier to just move the plug wires one terminal clockwise from the shop manual drawing location, from the terminal above the clip on right to the terminal below clip on the right. Only anal- retentive types would squibble about the position not being exactly as shown in the shop manual. Dr Freud didn't exactly coin the term "anal retentive" but his writings on personality traits certainly inspired it.....I think he was a bit of a quack....

  • Geoff
    Geoff Senior Contributor

    "Nit Pickers" I call them!

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