<VV> So close.

[Larry Forman]

Hi Mike,
Sorry, but you are only partly right.  It is CRITICAL to be on the compression stroke.  The easiest way is to place your finger in the #1 spark plug hole while slowly rotating the engine by hand.  If you feel the compression increasing you are on the right place.  Continue rotating it until the harmonic balancer mark is at zero and then insert the distributor so the rotor points to the number one plug wire.  If it does not go down all the way, then the oil pump slot is off slightly.  You can either rotate the harmonic balancer until it goes down or pull the distributor and take a long screwdriver and align it.  It seems to like to be about clock position 1:30 or so.

When I was just starting out, I took a air compression adapter that plugged into the 14 mm hole and tied a balloon onto the end.  When it inflated, I was on the compression stroke.  Now, using my finger is faster.  The other way sure makes it easy to make sure.

HTH.
-- Larry
----- Original Message -----
From: "Mike Ioanes" <mioanes@woh.rr.com>
To: "Ryan Verthein" <chevyd51@yahoo.com>
Subject: Re: <VV> So close.
Date: Wed, 16 Feb 2005 13:05:18 -0500

> 
> basically all easy stuff.  the one thing I think that
> > will be hard for me is reinstalling the
> > distributor...never done this before(even though I
> > understand the process, I'm still afraid I'm gonna do
> > it WAY off...)
> Ryan, it's real easy to put it back 180 deg. out...famous quote 
> "don't ask me how I know this".  but highly unlikely to do anything 
> other than get it right OR 180 out.  After messing around for about 
> a week, I pulled mine out and dropped it back in 180 from the way 
> it was-fired right up.  If you A) mark where the rotor is pointing 
> (something I failed to do) or B) put the engine on the timing mark 
> (ditto) it should be real easy.  If you have trouble, all us 
> "experts" are right here.
> Go for it!
> Mike Ioanes _______________________________________________
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