Another distributor error

T

Tracy72RN

Member
Hello all. It's been a while since I've been on here but we just picked up a 2nd Scout II (1973 345/auto).

When it was cranked up for me to test drive it had a miss...I realized the #5 and 7 plugs wire were crossed...and then I realized all 8 wires were 180* off.

So I put them where I thought they "should" be and no start. (I guess I should have just made 5 and 7 right)

so at this point I figured the distributor was installed wrong. (the kid installed it 6 months ago and apparently hasn't driven it much since) no I preface this with I've never removed/installed a distributor.

So I pull #8 plug and have my wife crank it over and once I feel the big puff out of the plug hole I try to set the distributor in. Visually it appears to have lined up right where it needs to be. I then put the wires on according to the firing order with #8 starting out where the rotor was pointing to...still no start.

It has spark (heck I drove it)... It also has a jacobs 'omnispark' coil set up. I've never even seen one of these so I'm not sure if there's something I'm missing or if I've just plain got the dizzy in wrong...?

When it was running with the distributor in the wrong way it seemed to have good compression, was quiet, and did not backfire or act up at all other than the 5,7 wires being off so there was the miss... So I'm hoping it's just me being inexperienced of installing a distributor correctly.

I have friends who when available can probably come stab this thing in and have it running in no time but I'm impatient and also want to learn myself.

I'm really missing the Jeep I traded for the Scout so not being able to drive the ol' girl is killin me!!!
 
Sounds like it wasn't 180 off to me, they usually don't run at all in that condition. Once you felt the puff, did you align the timing Mark on the crank with the pointer before you made the stab? If it's in there correctly, you should be able to static time it. Pull the #8 plug, put the wire on it and lay it on the block with the base on some bare metal. Turn the ignition to the on position and twist the distributor back and forth, you should get a spark (remember to turn the ignition off when your done). You want to initially set it to just where it sparks while twisting it. If it's not sparking pull the cap and make sure the points are openeing and closing when you twist the distributor back and forth. Also make sure the rotor is spinning in the direction you think it is when you install the plug wires on the cap.
 
I did have the timing Mark at zero when I went to put the dist in when I thought 8 was at tdc.

He had to of had it 180 out...if you were standing over the engine facing toward the windshield...# 8 wire was at the 12 o'clock position.

In the correct position #8 should be somewhere between 6-7 o'clock standing in the same position correct?
 
tracy72rn said:
I did have the timing Mark at zero when I went to put the dist in when I thought 8 was at tdc.

He had to of had it 180 out...if you were standing over the engine facing toward the windshield...# 8 wire was at the 12 o'clock position.

In the correct position #8 should be somewhere between 6-7 o'clock standing in the same position correct?
Click to expand...

The engine will not run with the ignition timing 180° out.

Step 1: the distributor body must be installed so that it can rotate enough between the intake manifold/vacuum advance canister to adjust the static timing.

Step 2: after that, the rotor can be placed at any location of the 360° radius that it operates in that you wish. In other words, you can place #8 plug wire wherever you want it to be, as long as you set the static timing correctly.

Remember, just having the timing Mark aligned is no assurance that the engine is actually on #8 tdc compression. The crankshaft rotates twice for every one rotation of the distributor. What that means to you, the IH mechanic, is that the timing Mark aligns twice...once on #8 firing position and once on #5 firing position.

As a refresher: IH sv-8 engine firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 (same as small block Chevy) and the distributor rotor rotates clockwise. The cylinders are easily identified by the raised numerals cast into each intake manifold runner near the cylinder heads. The firing order is also cast into the top of the intake manifold, towards the front right.
 
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And also don't paint yourself into the corner of thinking that where #8 was on the distributor before you messed with anything meant that the distributor had to have been 180 out. #8 could conceivably be at any position of the distributor, provided everything else was done properly. As has already been stated, had it truly been 180 out, all you'd be getting is backfiring through the carb and with no starting or running. Which is pretty close to what you have now, minus the backfires.
 
Thank you for the replies.

I've worked on it some more and still having difficulty. I truly did think I had it at tdc #8 more than once but it goes back to when I found the 2 wires crossed...I should have uncrossed them and then tried it rather than pulling it all apart.

Then I realized I was blind when I looked at it and have since discovered the entire underside of the body it rotting away...there are literally 2x4's sitting between the tub and frame. The body mount channels are literally gone.

So...now I am going to just try to sell it for some of what I had it the Jeep I traded to get it.

This is literally the worst mistake I've made on a vehicle ever...the only positive note is I can now put the tag and insurance on our '74 and start driving it.
 
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