[*67firebird*]

ok i got the distributor in, but after i read this again i believe 71 Ventura says "a the dots on your timing set were both at 12'oclock." i thought TDC is when the crank dot is at 12 o clock and cam dot is at 6 olock....am i wrong ??? if i am i have to go back and turn the engine over 360 degrees right?? until the balancer is at 0" right?

also, my balancer has from 0-60 degrees its a perfomance prodcuts type, do i have to get a timing tape that has the BTDC marks? for me to get it at BTDC?

[wheelspin]

Oz,
Congratulations on becoming an Ultimate Warrior . As an Ultimate Warrior you are expected to answer questions, not just ask them . Time to buy a factory service manual for your car, which includes pictures and a thorough explanation of removing/ reinstalling and timing a distributor.

They are available @ automanuals.com, among other sources.

Les

[TedRamAirII]

Originally Posted by *67firebird*

ok i got the distributor in, but after i read this again i believe 71 Ventura says "a the dots on your timing set were both at 12'oclock." i thought TDC is when the crank dot is at 12 o clock and cam dot is at 6 olock....am i wrong ??? if i am i have to go back and turn the engine over 360 degrees right?? until the balancer is at 0" right?

also, my balancer has from 0-60 degrees its a perfomance prodcuts type, do i have to get a timing tape that has the BTDC marks? for me to get it at BTDC?

With the crank dot at 12 and the cam dot at 6 its lined up to fire #6 , not #1. Thats why both should be at 12 o clock.

[Interceptor]

Tackling this issue now, HEI into a 72 400. I know I'm at #1 TDC but don't remember whether my cam gear dot is at 6:00 or 12:00. I've been foolishly going with standard American V8 engine assembly procedures, which Pontiacs do not always seem to follow . . . where do I go from here?

I do have a 1970 factory service manual for the car, is the install procedure the same for an HEI as for a points distributor?

I can't take any chances with this thing not firing right up as I will be breaking in a flat-tappet cam. Any advice besides the previous posts?

[Squidward]

Originally Posted by Interceptor

Tackling this issue now, HEI into a 72 400. I know I'm at #1 TDC but don't remember whether my cam gear dot is at 6:00 or 12:00. I've been foolishly going with standard American V8 engine assembly procedures, which Pontiacs do not always seem to follow . . . where do I go from here?

I do have a 1970 factory service manual for the car, is the install procedure the same for an HEI as for a points distributor?

I can't take any chances with this thing not firing right up as I will be breaking in a flat-tappet cam. Any advice besides the previous posts?

Install is the same with HEI. If you know for sure that you are at TDC, then the dots will be proper as long as you put your timing gears in properly.

Be sure to pre-oil.

Sometimes getting the oil pump driveshaft lined up is tricky. When you stuff the disty in, it will rotate CCW by about 30 or so degrees, not to be confused with timing degrees. This is due to the gear meshing. You will have to position your oil pump shaft slot anticipating this movement.

Do everything Motor Daddy said. When I did my break in, I disconnected and plugged the vac advance line. Immediately after startup, I gave the disty a couple of quick tweaks cw and ccw to find a good smooth spot, and then ran the motor up to 2500 rpm. I then shot it with the timing light to check that I was somewhere close to 30* btdc while at speed.

My preferred disty setup: Get just before TDC, as mentioned, 12* is a nice place. Align the oil pump driveshaft with a screwdriver so that it will mesh with the disty slot when the rotor points to 11:00 when viewed from the front of the car. Stab the disty with the rotor pointing at 12:00, or even a touch before that toward 1:00, with the vac advance can pointing between the driver side head and firewall. This should hopefully get your rotor at 11:00. I then install the cap, and my #1 is at 11:00, # 2 is at 1:00, etc. Just follow firing order around from there. Make sure that when you stab it you have room to adjust the timing without getting your vac advance can hung up on the throttle cable, head, etc.

[PunchT37]

I put my #1 at 1:00 o`clock position. Best for routing wires. Place the dist body in the block to see where it`s the best place to rotate for timing[doesn`t have to be stabbed].

Put the cap on where it locks down. Put a sharpie line under the 1 o`clock tower on dist body. Pull dist. out. Hold it up over your head and note the shaft slot angle/position.Do not rotate the dist when holding it up. That`s where the pump slot needs to END UP when fully stabbed.Put a sharpie line on the block where that is. Put the engine at 12 degrees btdc. Look down the dist hole and note the pump slot position. Get it about 1/4 turn before the line on the block. Stab dist. It might not go in the 1`st time so the
pump shaft might have to be moved slightly. Stab the dist till it`s fully down on the gasket and the rotor is lined up exactly on the line you put earlier on the body.

I like to pull the dist out slowly and you will see the rotor rotate backwards till it`s out. Then, put a sharpie line on the dist. body where it stopped. You can put a sharpie line on the block where that happened too.

That way you know where to line the pump shaft up the next time you stab.

Line the pump slot with the early line on the block, line the rotor with the early line on the dist body and it will fall right in. Over and over.

Sounds complex but it`s not. Karl, aka 72LuxuryLeMansLa, was here when I stabbed/1`st started mine. I showed him that. We started the engine. Started right up. I checked the timing after a short run with him there. Dead nuts on 12 degrees.

Just a little trick for having timing dead on for break in before you start up the engine and have to idle it or play with it while rounding your new cam.

[72LuxuryLeMansLa.]

Originally Posted by PunchT37

I put my #1 at 1:00 o`clock position. Best for routing wires. Place the dist body in the block to see where it`s the best place to rotate for timing[doesn`t have to be stabbed].

Put the cap on where it locks down. Put a sharpie line under the 1 o`clock tower on dist body. Pull dist. out. Hold it up over your head and note the shaft slot angle/position.Do not rotate the dist when holding it up. That`s where the pump slot needs to END UP when fully stabbed.Put a sharpie line on the block where that is. Put the engine at 12 degrees btdc. Look down the dist hole and note the pump slot position. Get it about 1/4 turn before the line on the block. Stab dist. It might not go in the 1`st time so the
pump shaft might have to be moved slightly. Stab the dist till it`s fully down on the gasket and the rotor is lined up exactly on the line you put earlier on the body.

I like to pull the dist out slowly and you will see the rotor rotate backwards till it`s out. Then, put a sharpie line on the dist. body where it stopped. You can put a sharpie line on the block where that happened too.

That way you know where to line the pump shaft up the next time you stab.

Line the pump slot with the early line on the block, line the rotor with the early line on the dist body and it will fall right in. Over and over.

Sounds complex but it`s not. Karl, aka 72LuxuryLeMansLa, was here when I stabbed/1`st started mine. I showed him that. We started the engine. Started right up. I checked the timing after a short run with him there. Dead nuts on 12 degrees.

Just a little trick for having timing dead on for break in before you start up the engine and have to idle it or play with it while rounding your new cam.

Verified. It wasn't that it was real close, it was exactly @ 12°BTDC