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Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:27 pm

Hey there!

I am trying to confirm the correct position for the dizzy on my SB (vac type) and have two conflicting sources.

Source 1:
front of car
3 2
0
4 1
rear of car

Source 2:
front of car
4 1
0
3 2
back of car

Can someone please confirm the correct alignment? Currently, it is set like source 2, but runs like crap and has poor idle. There aren't any marks on the pulley for me to follow.

Thanks!

Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:33 pm

if i'm not mistaken, there is an arrow on the distributor body and a notch that usually indcates the approximate position of #1.

find TDC of #1
note which way the distributor turns
route the wires in the proper firing order

Mon Jul 12, 2004 12:38 pm

That is the plan, but I was trying to get a confirmation before starting out. The PO did some wacky stuff under the hood, and I am trying to determine if he set the whole thing wrong in the process.

Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:10 pm

Source 1 is correct. If I am assuming center of distributor is '0' and I'm looking down on it, the firing order for Source 2 would be correct only if the rotor turned counter clockwise. 1432 is correct. With 1 at the notch, about 5 o-clock.

But, I agree with HBB. Better to start from scratch if you suspect the previous owner might have smoked too much herb.

Mon Jul 12, 2004 2:19 pm

Thanks guys! The plan is:

1.) Get a straw
2.) Remove plug from cyl 1.
3.) Insert straw in cyl one.
4.) Crank engine (by hand) 1 full revolution.
5.) Mark straw at point it is farthest out.
6.) Repeat steps 4 & 5.
7.) See which mark on straw is lowest and crank engine again until at this mark again.
8.) Mark pulley at case seam as being TDC for cyl 1.
9.) Check position of rotor and rotate distributor to match up.
10.) Verify plug wires are going to correct cyl and fix it need be.

Sound about right?

Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:26 am

Cobey wrote: Thanks guys! The plan is:

1.) Get a straw
2.) Remove plug from cyl 1.
3.) Insert straw in cyl one.
4.) Crank engine (by hand) 1 full revolution.
5.) Mark straw at point it is farthest out.
6.) Repeat steps 4 & 5.
7.) See which mark on straw is lowest and crank engine again until at this mark again.
8.) Mark pulley at case seam as being TDC for cyl 1.
9.) Check position of rotor and rotate distributor to match up.
10.) Verify plug wires are going to correct cyl and fix it need be.

Sound about right?

TDC for cylinder 1 will be when the straw is the farthest out of the hole.

At this point, your rotor should be pointing at approximately the 4 o'clock position on the distributor. Mark your crank pulley with whiteout where it meets the case seam. Draw an imaginary line directly through the crank pulley to its opposite side (180* degrees away from where you just marked), and place TWO white marks with whiteout.

Rotate the crankshaft counter-clockwise 180*, and you'll be at TDC for cylinder 2.

Rotate 180* counter-clockwise again for #3,

and 180* counter-clockwise again for #4.

Veryify your plug wires are going to the proper spark plugs.

#1 - 4 o'clock position
#2 - 2 o'clock position
#3 - 10 o'clock position
#4 - 8 o'clock position
(these are rough estimates, but you get the picture)

Larry

Two revolutions of the crank will take you through all four cylinders.

Tue Jul 13, 2004 11:43 am

Thanks for the confirm Larry. :)

Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:43 pm

Cobey;

Yeah, what they said...

Years ago a friend asked me to rebuild the engine in his CJ-2 Jeep. Problem was, it was partially disassembled - including the distributor.

I thought it was going to be a nightmare, but it's not that hard to get the distributor lined up & correct. You just need to line up #1 cylinder and be sure your rotor is set to whatever distributor post will run the wire to your #1 spark plug. Then you set your plug wires in according to the firing order.

You can do the precise timing after you get it running.

Good luck!

JSH

Tue Jul 13, 2004 12:48 pm

Thanks for all your help guys!

Another question on this - is it at all possible to have the dizzy installed in a non-stock method?

Tue Jul 13, 2004 7:57 pm

Well, as it turns out, the dizzy was in the right place after all. But, I did find that two of my plug wires were trashed, and the other two noth much better.

Speaking of, the new wires seem to be a bit thicker than the old ones. So, I can't put them in the clips on the fan shroud. Anyone else run into this? What did you do to get the wires off the hot engine?

Tue Jul 13, 2004 8:17 pm

What kind of wires? I just bought new Bosch plug wires (gray in color). They were a bit tough to put in the clips but did eventually go in. Just don't push so hard that you rip them.

Tue Jul 13, 2004 8:46 pm

Yes, Bosch. I pushed so hard, the clip broke. :(