Timing WAY off after installing different distributor.

[gtaw]

Yesterday I decided to install a new set of points in my 66 170ci. After letting the car warm up and setting the rotor to 12 O'clock I went and head and pulled the distributor. Well after inspecting the unit I noticed excessive play in the shaft and decided to swap with another used distributor.

I installed the new points and set them and installed the new condenser. I checked the vacuum advance for leaks and everything seemed good.

I installed the "new" distributor at 12 O'Clock and fired the car up and it was idling kind of rough, but the hesitation/miss was gone when I'd gun the engine so I hooked up the timing light and the mark was off the scale on top of the the balancer :cry: with the distributor turned all the way counter clockwise. I turned the distributor clockwise and it moved a little towards the scale, but it's still way off.

The engine idles worse than it did with the sloppy dizzy and scotched points, but has loads more power.

I cannot for the life of me figure out what's going on.

Any ideas?

Thanks,
Jim

 

[jhdeval]

Stupid question but did you remove the and plug the vacuum hose?

 

[memike]

Double check plugs and wires to be in good condition and gapped.
And yes what jhdeval said.

 

[Johnny Dart]

Mike is right about the adjuster on the bottom of the Dist.

Right now you either have to much or to little timing.

Find out where your timing is at, and adjust the plate accordingly.

There is a special tool for this, so you can adjust it while it is installed.
If you don't have the tool, just pull the dist.

Make sure you install the dist on the right tooth. It's very easy to install it being off a tooth.

 

[cudamark]

Is that the lightning victim or was it buried in your back yard for a few years?

 

[RustyRatRod]

I got my money on memike. I think he nailed the piss outta this one.

 

[gtaw]

Before I removed the plate I marked it and made sure it was installed in the same location on the new distributor, though I can't say for sure if the previous owner had done the same (noticed a spot where it may have been before). What does that tool look like?

I had the vacuum plugged when checking.

Replaced the wires when I got the car in May.

I thought about being a tooth off so I tried moving it one forward and one back and it ran awful.

I drove the car to work yesterday and it actually ran pretty well other than a little rough idle it didn't stall or die once. I'm starting to think the balancer may have spun since the last time I checked the timing.

My Da is going to drive it around for the weekend and take a look at it so I won't know until I get it back ;)

Thanks for the help

 

[Johnny Dart]

The tool looks kind of like a V8 dstributor wrench.
Basically it is a long,bent (7/16" ?) wrench that is bent so you can get underneath the distributor, to adjust it.

Where is your timing set at ?

 

[cudamark]

Before I removed the plate I marked it and made sure it was installed in the same location on the new distributor, though I can't say for sure if the previous owner had done the same (noticed a spot where it may have been before). What does that tool look like?

I had the vacuum plugged when checking.

Replaced the wires when I got the car in May.

I thought about being a tooth off so I tried moving it one forward and one back and it ran awful.

I drove the car to work yesterday and it actually ran pretty well other than a little rough idle it didn't stall or die once. I'm starting to think the balancer may have spun since the last time I checked the timing.

My Da is going to drive it around for the weekend and take a look at it so I won't know until I get it back ;)

Thanks for the help

Get (or make) a piston stop so you can check the timing mark on the balancer. You can also check it if you have a spare balancer that you know is good. Just align the keyway slot with the one on the crank and see if the timing mark is in the same place.

 

[slant6/4speed]

You may be a tooth off on the gear or check closely to see if the nylon gear (at the end of the shaft) has the cross pin in the same location in both distributors.