replaced distributor won't crank

[moparjohnny]

i checked plug wiring and its correct,i did finger over 1 cylinder hole and then i turn balancer with socket to 0* today, now the rotor is pointing at number 1 cylinder and number 1 plug in cap.i have not tried to crank it today i will wait until i find out about rotor position,i tried over the weekend a few times,but i did not turn the balancer to zero and i did finger over the hole and it blew it off,so i was today to do finger test and then turn balancer to zero,but not sure about rotor,cra backed fired over the weekend so i know timing was off,so i did it different this time adding the balancer to zero. thanks

 

[khryslerkid]

You have the right idea.
Turn your damper "clockwise" and feel for the compression. Then stop at O°. Set your rotor just a hair before #1 position, not dead inline with it. Remember your distributor is turning "counter clockwise".

 

[Shorthorse]

If it backfires, you are probably 180 out. Remember, a hole fires every other turn. The piston is up twice, once to fire, once to exhaust.

 

[miller]

Uhhh...0 is TDC...top dead center.

383, for that year motor, usually fires at 10 degrees BEFORE TDC. Look in the book.

 

[747mopar]

If it backfires, you are probably 180 out. Remember, a hole fires every other turn. The piston is up twice, once to fire, once to exhaust.

But only produces compression on the compression stroke which is what he checked, the next stroke the exhaust valve will be open meaning no compression.
Do just as you have done being sure not to turn past the compression stroke and bring it up to 20 btdc then line the rotor up with #1. Every motor will like a different initial but I never line it up with zero cause no motor likes zero but instead somewhere around 10-20, mine lives 20. If that doesn't do it I'd go back and be certain of firing order, plugs, wires, etc.

 

[moparjohnny]

But only produces compression on the compression stroke which is what he checked, the next stroke the exhaust valve will be open meaning no compression.
Do just as you have done being sure not to turn past the compression stroke and bring it up to 20 btdc then line the rotor up with #1. Every motor will like a different initial but I never line it up with zero cause no motor likes zero but instead somewhere around 10-20, mine lives 20. If that doesn't do it I'd go back and be certain of firing order, plugs, wires, etc.

what dothe number 1 on cap mean? should number 1 plug wire go there?

 

[747mopar]

Really it's means nothing, from the factory it's likely where they had #1 set to be. You can play around with pulling the distributor and dropping it in to get it to line up but it really doesn't matter.

All that matters is that when you've brung it up to 10-20 btdc on the compression stroke the rotor points at number #1. I usually I get it on the compression stroke then put the wires on in accordance instead of vice versa. Now if your plug wire arrangement doesn't suit you you can pull the distributor, rotate it and drop it back in until you get an arrangement you like but doing so will require fudging the oil pump shaft to get it to line up as well.

 

[miller]

Really it's means nothing, from the factory it's likely where they had #1 set to be.

All the #1 on the cap is, if a stock distributor is being used, a guide so the advance device hanging on the side of the housing has room to swing, for adjusting.

But, backing up on things...damn, hope I don't write a book here...
If you don't understand how things work, makes it much harder to get done. First, on the 0 TDC mark on the balancer. Each time the 0 comes up, #1 piston comes to TDC.
TWICE! Once on compression stroke, once on exhaust stroke. You time the motor on compression stroke.
Wanna play? Pull the distributor cap...pull the distributor...and look inside the hole the distributor sits in. First two tappets driver's side are the ones for #1 cylinder. Turn the motor over (in correct rotation), until 0 is coming up. Watch those two tappets. If #1 is on compression stroke, timing at 0, both tappets will be down, before and after turning the motor near 0. If #1 is on EXHAUST stroke, as you turn the motor by 0 timing mark, one tappet goes down, the other starts to go up. It's called valve overlap.

Once you've got the timing on 0 TDC compression stroke, turn the motor reversed direction, backing it up a little, going past the timing you want. Then, in the correct direction, turn the motor until timing is (let's say) 10 degrees BEFORE TDC, and stop!

Now your ready to drop in the distributor. First, looking back in the hole, there's a drive gear, for both the distributor, and the oil pump. Also be a 'slot' center of the gear. Normally, that slot is in line with the cam. Easy to change if needed, by lifting the gear until it's clear of the gear on the cam, turn the lifted gear, and back down where you want it. Far end of the shaft that gear is on, also fits into the oil pump.

Points in the distributor? Either way, how you want the distributor is...so when it's down, you have 'swing' to set the timing, and clear the surrounding parts.
Knowing the direction of rotation of the distributor, and rotor, set it so the tip of the rotor is just coming in line with the #1 contact in the cap. Not 'in line' with it. You set the timing just when the points 'break', or just open. While the rotor 'sweeps' by the cap contact, it's firing that hole (lol, cylinder).

Should fire right off...but still need to finish by checking with a timing light, while the motor is running.

 

[Shorthorse]

Good explanation Miller. I got a smile on my face when I read the word "tappet". Immediately I thought, this guy must be about my age. I haven't heard that term in a long time and wondered how many young guys would even know what that was. Thanks.

 

[miller]

Thanks, Shorthorse! Yeah, the old tappet thing...dang I'm getting old!

 

[moparjohnny]

Thanks, Shorthorse! Yeah, the old tappet thing...dang I'm getting old!

it did crank up twice and died and now back to will not crank,but no back firing now,i set rotor on number one plug wire after finding tdc and setting balancer on zero,i think i set rotor directly on number 1,maybe i should have backed off a little from number 1 rotor wire,how to redirect rotor a little away from direct pointing at 1?

 

[miller]

Blasted numbers are confusing, ain't they! Hehe.
Your not understanding the basics of things. When you 'set' timing, your adjusting when the spark plug fires off, for #1 cylinder. You NEVER want the plug firing at 0 degrees, when the piston is at the top...TDC (Top Dead Center, or 0 degrees)!
Spark plug needs to fire off BEFORE 0 degrees...so, on the balancer the degrees are marked 0,5,10, and so on. All those numbers up to 0 are BEFORE TDC.
Get your distributor rotor set #1 pointing right...then, by hand, if 0 on the balancer is on the mark, turn the motor in REVERSE direction, backing it up past the timing tab, where the degrees are marked. That needs to be done, to take 'slack' out of gear and timing chain.
Then, by hand, in the normal direction, slowly turn the crank, until timing mark is at 10 degrees, and stop.

(Going to get confusing now...10 degrees is basic for when the car was made. Gas is different now, so timing needs to be adjusted for today's gas.)

But, for now, you just want to make the thing run!

At the balancer/timing marks, crank set at 10 degrees before 0.

At the distributor, a bolt/clamp that locks the distributor in place...loosen the bolt, so the housing of the distributor can be turned. NOW the distributor needs to be rotated, until the rotor is 'just' coming in line with #1 on the cap. Then, tighten the bolt/clamp back down. Spark plug will fire at 10 degrees BEFORE TDC, about where you want it.

 

[moparjohnny]

Blasted numbers are confusing, ain't they! Hehe.
Your not understanding the basics of things. When you 'set' timing, your adjusting when the spark plug fires off, for #1 cylinder. You NEVER want the plug firing at 0 degrees, when the piston is at the top...TDC (Top Dead Center, or 0 degrees)!
Spark plug needs to fire off BEFORE 0 degrees...so, on the balancer the degrees are marked 0,5,10, and so on. All those numbers up to 0 are BEFORE TDC.
Get your distributor rotor set #1 pointing right...then, by hand, if 0 on the balancer is on the mark, turn the motor in REVERSE direction, backing it up past the timing tab, where the degrees are marked. That needs to be done, to take 'slack' out of gear and timing chain.
Then, by hand, in the normal direction, slowly turn the crank, until timing mark is at 10 degrees, and stop.

(Going to get confusing now...10 degrees is basic for when the car was made. Gas is different now, so timing needs to be adjusted for today's gas.)

But, for now, you just want to make the thing run!

At the balancer/timing marks, crank set at 10 degrees before 0.

At the distributor, a bolt/clamp that locks the distributor in place...loosen the bolt, so the housing of the distributor can be turned. NOW the distributor needs to be rotated, until the rotor is 'just' coming in line with #1 on the cap. Then, tighten the bolt/clamp back down. Spark plug will fire at 10 degrees BEFORE TDC, about where you want it.

thanks again,i will follow your instructions tonight,do i need to remove distributor and do the finger over number 1 cylinder hole again,before i start with doing the balancer procedure?last time i installed the distributor after tdc on the exhaust,not compression stroke.does that make a difference.

 

[Shorthorse]

You shouldn't have to remove the distributor again because you mentioned it cranked up (fired) twice but died with no backfire. Sounds like it is in the correct position. Now, just do what miller said.

 

[moparjohnny]

You shouldn't have to remove the distributor again because you mentioned it cranked up (fired) twice but died with no backfire. Sounds like it is in the correct position. Now, just do what miller said.

o degrees on balancer is not on the mark,it is way off the mark, i can turn by hand to 10 degrees before top dead center on balancer,but before it never came back to that after turning the eng to try and fire it.

 

[miller]

I'd get a case of beer, and invite some mechanic over, to take a look! Think you need another pair of eyes, to look at it.
There's chances more problems are there, and not understanding the basics doesn't help. You need a bit more knowledge, to help what your looking at.

The 0 on the timing marks on the balancer...only thing it means is...piston #1 'should' be at TDC. Timing is set...only using 0 as a guide. 0 doesn't mean a damn thing, if it's off, not correct. If 0 is on the mark, #1 piston should be fully up, and takes careful checking.
That is the ONLY reason to care about 0...if it's not right, nothing else is!!!

 

[Darthomas]

Not that you would be so stupid as I was once, but having both big block and small block engines, I once had everything perfectly timed mechanically, but plugged in the plug wires for the wrong rotation, just from being tired and late at night.
Well, it didn't run that night.
Next morning I felt really stupid.

 

[miller]

You shouldn't have to remove the distributor again because you mentioned it cranked up (fired) twice but died with no backfire. Sounds like it is in the correct position. Now, just do what miller said.

Set the timing mark at 10 degrees before 0.

If the distributor is still in the same position, leave it alone. Just pull the distributor cap. But...before you do that...put some kind of mark on the distributor housing, just under the edge of the cap, in line (as accurate as possible) with the #1 spark plug wire. That will give you a reference for #1, once the cap is off.
With the cap off...look at the rotor 'tip'. Understand when the motor is running, the rotor turns backwards...counter-clockwise.
Loosen the distributor housing, by the clamping bolt, and turn the housing until the rotor 'tip' is just edging the mark you put down. Snug down the clamping bolt, put the cap back on...

IF everything else is okay, it WILL start.

You WILL need to at least check the timing, with the motor running, using a timing light, probably even re-set the timing at another number. Depends on how it runs!

If you find a mechanic...older the better!!!

 

[miller]

I hear that, Darthomas!

Fought for two days, trying to figure why last V8 I built wouldn't run right. Checked everything ignition wise, timing, so on.
Wound up my brand new set of spark plugs...5 of 8 were cracked...and wouldn't fire right. Real head-banging on that one. Would have never dreamed.

 

[Darthomas]

I hear that, Darthomas!

Fought for two days, trying to figure why last V8 I built wouldn't run right. Checked everything ignition wise, timing, so on.
Wound up my brand new set of spark plugs...5 of 8 were cracked...and wouldn't fire right. Real head-banging on that one. Would have never dreamed.

Did you let a kid carry the plugs for you?
He didn't tell you he dropped 'em.