Hello, I am installing the distributor on the engine and have an old chilton manual that sais this:
- turn engine to bring cylinder #1 to TDC (make sure 0 mark on timing cover aligns with crankshaft pulley mark) and piston one is at TDC. OK
- Install distributor to the engine block so that the vacuum advance unit points in the correct direction. (not sure which way that is but I can probably look at a photo of a pontiac 400)
- turn the rotor so that it will point to the #1 terminal in the cap (how do I know which terminal that is ?)
install distributor in engine (possibly need to turn rotor a little in either direction to engage gears. OK.
Any help is appreciated on getting the #1 terminal in the correct place. thanks
Here's a couple of pointers. On the crank remember there are two points where #1 cylinder is at the top. One in the compression stroke and one is the exhaust stroke. Therefore you want the crank on the zero mark when the timing chain is in the correct position. If you have already put the timing cover back on you have two options. 1) Guess 2) Rotate the balancer with the spark plug pulled until you can make sure the #1 cylinder is on the compression stroke. Now remember the distributor cap only goes on one way. Get a Sharpy and mark the plate where the #1 cylinder plug wire is going. Double check it to make sure you aren't 180 degrees out. BTW if you haven't run the engine in a while, I highly recommend you prime the oil pump before starting. I'm not exactly sure what types of drive shafts they have on Pontiac V8s because I have an OHC. If it is a hex rod, DO NOT use a socket with an extension on your drill. If the socket comes off and drops in the oil pan you'll be cursing for days. Bite the bullet and buy a nut driver that can't fall into the pan. On the OHC its like a big flathead screwdriver. After priming, slip the distributer into the hole. You want it to fall on the Sharpy mark you made and where the vacuum advance is correctly positioned. Snug it, but leave loose enough to rotate. Get your timing light setup before hand, start her up and adjust the timing. Having two people at this point is a good thing.
ok, i haven't put the timing cover on yet so I can make sure the marks line up on the cam gear and crank gear and cylinder 1 is at TDC. My question then is the distributor. i assume when i install the distributor at this time, the rotor should be pointing at cylinder 1 terminal. How do I know where this is on the cap ? then once i figure that out as long as the rotor is pointing at cylinder 1 terminal then it doesn't matter how i put the distributor in the whole (as long as the vacuum advance is pointing in the correct direction (does it point to the master cylinder or passenger side ?), then drop it in and make sure the gears engage ?
The #1 position on the distrib can be anywhere you want as long as the rotor is pointing to that terminal when the #1 cylinder is near TDC (as you said). But the convention is to put #1 near the firewall, then 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order. The vacuum can points towards the drivers fender, more or less. Don't forget a pontiac rotor turns counterclockwise, opposite a chebby.
