Distributor Removal and Installation
Removal:
1. Remove #1 spark plug and pull the coil wire off
2. Place your finger over the spark plug hole
3. Have an assistant bump the motor over until you feel air pushing your finger off the hole.
4. Use a socket (1.25" usually) and manually bring the engine dampener mark to zero.
5. Remove the distributor cap, the rotor should be pointing in the general vicinity of #1 cylinder.
6. Note the location of the vacuum canister.
7. Remove the distributor and write your name on it with a Sharpee.
8. Do not rotate the engine, leave it right where it is.
Installation:
1. Clock the rotor so it's pointing at #1 cylinder and hold the housing so the vacuum unit or cover plate is in the approximate position as in #6 above.
2. Drop the distributor in and jiggle the rotor and housing slightly until it drop into the oil pump drive, be sure that it drop all the way down.
3. Determine the correct rotation of your distributor, SB Mopars rotate clock wise, 383/400/440 all rotate counter clockwise.
4. Look at the reluctor (Star wheel on your distributor shaft) see #6 above and turn the housing to the approximate location, one of the paddles on the reluctor should now be very close to the magnetic pickup center. Adjust it now so it lines up dead center on that contact point.
5. You now have set the distributor to zero timing and the rotor should line up centered on the cap contact for #1 plug wire. You can use a Sharpee to mark the housing so when you position the cap it's easy to confirm that #1 cap terminal is directly in line with the rotor.
6. Of course at Zero timing the motor will have a hard time starting so we need to advance it to about 15*-20* , so if we think about this the position we have it set at the distributor should have already fired #1 plug so study your rotation and think about which direction it rotates and turn the housing so that it indicates that the distributor has already fired #1. On a Clockwise distributor (SB) you would turn the housing COUNTER CLOCKWISE a BB you would turn the housing the opposite direction. Always remember that "Rotation Retards" so to advance the timing you turn it counter rotation.
7. How far?
Just rotate the distributor to about 1/8 to 3/16" past the contact point with the reluctor paddle, this will put enough timing in the motor to fire it off, even close will fire the motor and allow for final tuning with a good timing light. see #6 for correct direction to rotate the housing.
8. Snug down the clamp just enough so you can grab the cap and turn the distributor with a strong arm, we just don't want it to slip when we're trying to start it and time it.
9. Turn the key and light it off, bring it up to temp and set the initial timing as per your specs. We recommend that you also bring it up to about 100-200 RPM above where we set the total at and with a dial back light check to be sure that it doesn't exceed the total timing we have determined as Max timing for your application.
10. Your all done, tighten down the distributor clamp, double check it and "Happy Motoring"
