Re: Distributor Troubles - 65 Rambler

["Jim Blair" <carnuck@xxxxxxxxxxx>]

A: The distributor turns as it meshes with the gear on the cam. Your 
starting point and ending point should be the same. All the wiggling you had 
to do to get it all the way down is because the oilpump drive was lined up 
to the way the old one was set when fully engaged. You need to lift the dist 
till it just clears the gear inside and turn it slightly past the point you 
want it to line up, then wiggle it back in. Once it lines where you want it 
(It takes practice to get it first shot or by fluke!) you can put your cap 
on. I doubt the motor turned (maybe the timing chain slop allowed it to move 
a bit?)


From: "Brian Hagen" <brian.hagen@xxxxxxxxxxx>
To: <mail@xxxxxxxxxxxx>
Subject: Distributor Troubles - 65 Rambler
Date: Mon, 15 Nov 2004 17:45:37 -0500

Ok... try to follow my story, it may be confusing!

I was replacing my distributor today with a new one.  I removed the cap and
marked the direction of the rotor on the engine (ie: I saw where it was
pointing and scratched a line in the muck on the valve cover.  I then
removed the distributor....

I put the new distributor in, which took much wiggling to get it to sit
right since the sides were so "new" it took some removing and
reinserting..but i finally got it in and all the way seated. The top of the
distributor shaft boss meets the block. And the bottom of the distributor
was in the 'slot' and the distributor was DEFINITELY seated and in place..
so I put the rotor back on and... its like 45 degrees off?  Huh?  I can
understand it being 180degrees off, but its like 45-30 degrees off from my
initial "mark".  Could i have possibly rotated the engine in my seating the
new distributor or is something way off??  I tried "turning" the engine with
my hand by rotating the rotor but it didnt bulge.. so I don't think it could
have budged when I was putting the distributor in.

My only idea is.. the old rotor wasn't seated. And so my mark was off.


Any ideas appreciated!