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440 timing and distributor install

paul1969cars

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Hi

Just checking if anyone can give me the correct answer to this.
I replaced the timing chain and the two sprockets. and the timing marks face each other. Pretty straight forward.

Installed the harmonic balancer. rotated crank with breaker bar so that the zero and the line on the balancer are in line.

I checked that the number one piston is at top of cylinder by measuring into the block from the spark plug opening.

Correct me if Im not doing something right.

Now the intermediate shaft that drives the oil pump and receives the bottom of the rotor is installed. I saw several video that said this slot in the top of the intermediate shaft needs to be aligned parallel to the front wall of the engine block. This is what I did. see this video so you know what Im talking about.

I checked the 1969 service manual section 9-58. and it says that this slot is be parallel with the center line of the crankshaft. This is opposite of what I did. Its easily turnable but dont know which is correct?

Now come installing the rotor and distributor. The bottom of rotor will engage with the slot in the intermediate shaft.

For initial fire up of engine. The the rotor copper contact end will face the#1 on distributor cap. See these two attached images.

I saw another video that said that when installing the distributor that both timing marks need to face upward other wise it will be off 180 degress. This is video. go to middle of video to see what Im referring to.



Just confused and need some assistance.

Please look at both videos I posted so you see what Im talking about.

The motor is all closed up and painted. Dont know if I have to take apart to get back at timing chain for some reason or not.

dist.PNG


dist 2.PNG
 
Lot of stuff you brought up there, and not really sure of your question. But it seems like a lot of people get perplexed with the distributor rotor pointing/cap #1 wire thing. I learned to static time about 50 years ago in high school and it has worked well for all motors through the years. There are frequently manufacturing variations in the intermediate shaft slot and the distributor drive tang, so the ability to static time is important as it makes those issues not a problem.

In order of importance, first is that the engine is on compression stroke for #1 cyl (remember we are talking about a 4 cycle motor) and timed at a baseline target of say 15deg BTDC on the damper, that the dist is installed so there is room to rotate it without the vacuum can hitting the head or manifold, and then the dist rotor points to #1 plug wire on the cap, and the wires in the cap are in the right firing order.

Having the #1 plug wire in the cap in a certain position is a feel good thing for some, but if the rest is done properly, it can be in any cap tower, as long as the rest is right. If having the #1 plug wire in a certain cap position is important to you, then you can remove the intermediate shaft by twisting it out of the cam gear engagement with a big screw driver and rotating it tooth or so until you get it where you want it.
 
Morning

When I install the distributor, the shaft end that goes into the intermediate shaft below has a slot on the top of the gear. This slot is in line or direction with the camshaft as per the service manual. But when I put in the distributor the rotor is not pointing at number one cylinder. If I move the intermediate shaft over a tooth so that the rotor is pointing at the #1 cylinder then the slot on the intermediate shaft is not aligned with the camshaft. What am I to do?
 
Morning

When I install the distributor, the shaft end that goes into the intermediate shaft below has a slot on the top of the gear. This slot is in line or direction with the camshaft as per the service manual. But when I put in the distributor the rotor is not pointing at number one cylinder. If I move the intermediate shaft over a tooth so that the rotor is pointing at the #1 cylinder then the slot on the intermediate shaft is not aligned with the camshaft. What am I to do?
There is not "set" relationship between the intermediate gear and the camshaft.
In other words you can set the intermediate shaft to any position and as long as the rotor points to #1 on the compression stroke and the other wires match the firing order it will run.
The big thing is the compression stroke and ability to adjust the advance without the vacuum canister hitting anything.
The rest is just personal preference on how you want the wires to look coming out of the cap.
 
When I changed my water pump, I checked my timing chain(it was ok) and my timing marks at TDC were at both at the 12 position. Yes my car runs
 
Positioning comes into play with how much clearance and adjustment arc you have for the vacuum advance can. The initial, by the book, position of the distributor shaft slot is parallel to the cam shaft. If you don't like where it is when setting timing, pull the distributor and just use a long slot screw driver to move the gear a tooth or two in the direction you need for the vacuum can.
 
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