So the Camaro hasn't been running good. I knew the distributor was really worn (we got it for free when we built the engine) so I decided to replace it, along with plugs and such. I pulled the old distributor, noting where the vac can was pointing. I set the rotor of the new distributor in the same place as the old one, aligned the vac can, and dropped it in. It engaged the oil pump shaft, so I know it was stabbed correctly. I messed with the timing a little to get it started, and it would not idle. I bumped the idle up to about 1200 rpm so it would not die and tried to time the engine. I could not find the timing mark. I retared the timing until I found the mark, then set the idle back to 750 rpm. I adjusted the initial timing to about 10 degrees. Everything is fine, but the vac can is pointing about 40 degrees from where the old one was. Car drives great. Was my old distributor that bad off, or did the HEI design change somewhere along the way?

Your off 1 tooth. Your having to turn the dist. more to get to the same timing.

It will work like that, but I like mine dead right. To get it right, you need to lift the dist back up and move it over 1 tooth.

Some people likes to move the plug wires over 1 post, that will do the same, but I dont like that, cause I always custom cut and fit my wires, so they only fit good one way

<font face="Arial,Verdana" size="2">Originally posted by night rider:
Your off 1 tooth.

To get it right, you need to lift the dist back up and move it over 1 tooth.
</font>

Thats not possible. The timing is right, 10* initial on #1 cylinder is 10* inital on #1 cylinder no matter where the dizzy is pointed-its just the dizzy is not in the same pysical spot as the old one. You can not just pull the dizzy up & rotate it "one tooth" in any direction, it must engage the cam gear and the oil pump drive. The reason the vac advance can is in a different spot is because the oil pump drive on the dizzy is probably at a different angle compared to the old one. If it really bothers you where the vac can is pointed, you have to pull the dizzy & rotate the oil pump drive whatever direction you want the # plugwire to be. Theres no right & wrong way to have it, you can put it wherever you want as long as theres room to rotate the dizzy enough to change timing.

I guess a easier way to say it is that its either right or its 180* off. http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif

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"The artist formerly known as 2x4"

11.74@118mph in full street trim, driven to the track every time! Trailers are for boats..

[This message has been edited by Quick Nick (edited February 28, 2005).]

Nah, it's just off by a tooth or two.

If it's off by a full 40* (almost one whole plug tower difference) then just yank all the plug wires, put them on the next tower over and twist the distributor back near it's original position and re-time the motor.

If it's not off by a full plug tower, you'll have to yank the dist. and drop it back in. If you want it to be more "clockwise" than it is now, you yank it, rotate the rotor clockwise a tooth and drop it back in. And vice versa for CCW. Don't worry about the oil shaft lining up- either crank the engine over until the distributor drops that last 1/4" on it's own or spend time with a long screwdriver rotating it to line up 1 tooth different before you drop the distributor back in.

1 tooth off at the distributor = ~28* of distributor rotation, BTW.


[This message has been edited by Damon (edited March 01, 2005).]

I guess I still don't fully understand what happened. I was under the impression that if I aligned the rotor of the new distributor just like the old one (after it was extracted), and it dropped in and mated with the oil pump shaft, I could not possibly be off 1 tooth. Maybe the excessive end play in the old distributor's shaft (~1/8") caused this.

It SHOULD have dropped you right on top of the old timing, but obviously something got mixed up somewhere when you dropped it in. If I was to guess I'd say you got all the plug wires off by one post somehow. Or the engine got bumped over accidentally before you stabbed in the new distributor.

did you match the position when the old diz was fully seated to the new one when fully seated? since the diz spins as you're pulling it off (like an inch and a half counter clock wise, if i remember right) it's important to match that position when dropping it in... so in other words, if you dropped it in at 1-1/2 inch ccw of the fully seated position, it should land exactly where the old one was... i also think you may be "one tooth" off (IMHO)

Well, I agree that I must be 1 tooth off. I did match rotors with both distributors laying on the workbench. The only thing that is throwing me is that the oil pump shaft matched up with the distributor 1 tooth off...

so guys i quick nick wrong? i ran into the same thing when i put my new dizzy in, it was rotated further clockwise. So i guess my question is, can a dizzy be 1 tooth off? I've heard both before so now i'm confused, please enlighten me!

so guys is quick nick wrong? i ran into the same thing when i put my new dizzy in, it was rotated further clockwise. So i guess my question is, can a dizzy be 1 tooth off? I've heard both before so now i'm confused, please enlighten me! http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/confused.gif

I put one in "one tooth off" while I was replacing an intake manifold gasket so I know it can be done. I lifted it again, rotated the oil pump drive a bit with a long screwdriver and dropped it back where it was suposed to be.

It is a simple mistake to make because those angled gear teeth on the dizzy cause it to rotate when it is going in.

Step one- confuse everyone -mission accomplished http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif J/K!

The way I've always been taught is that the "one tooth off" thoery is half true. Its either in correct or its 180* off (you'll know its 180* off when it pops & bangs all over the place instead of starting up). The "one tooth off" thing is just a matter of turning the dizzy whatever way to get your timing correct (AKA adjustment), no need to yank it back out unless it was re-installed 180* off according to the rotor-pretty hard to do unless you just plain forgot where the original one was. If the engine was turned over while the dizzy was out, then you have to start from scratch using the old TDC on #1 cylinder method.

Say you pull the dizzy out for whatever reason. Nothing has moved on the engine. The distributor will only re-install 2 ways, correct or 180* off. The dizzy gears must mesh with the cam gears, they can do this in many different spots, but..the oil pump drive will only fit the gear in one direction-correct or incorrect. Once again, if nothing moved, its physically impossible for it to install anything other than correct or 180* off. No, your timing will not still be exactly what it was when you removed it because you can rotate the housing all day long, you have to get a timing light on it everytime you move the dizzy.

If you run a HEI or something with a big ole honkin' vac can on it and dont like the position of it because it hits the intake or firewall to allow timing to be adjusted correctly, then you can remove the dizzy & rotate the oil pump drive a little & try again. A lot of people say "the timings off" because the vac cannister is in a odd position, well it doesnt matter where the cannister is pointed as long as the timings correct. You can have the cannister on the drivers side of the engine compartment, it doesnt matter as long as the timing is correct.

I'll step out now becasue I really really suck at explaining things if I cant show someone!! Hope I didnt totally lose everyone http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif

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"The artist formerly known as 2x4"

11.74@118mph in full street trim, driven to the track every time! Trailers are for boats..

I just found out this weekend that you can be one tooth off. The oil pump shaft moved and we had to crank the motor to get it to drop in.

It is definately confusing. We used the TDC on cyl 1 method with the harmonic balancer.

Yes, you CAN be one tooth off. I mark the cap/dizzy housing on the outside with a Sharpie (on the bench) then I know where number one is supposed to be pointing. With the motor timed to fire on number one, just drop in the dizzy. The oil pump shaft can be moved a smigit and it will cause the dizzy to not go in all the way and be totally seated.
That is easily resolved, someone stated using a long straight bladed screw driver to turn the oil pump shaft a few degrees to get the dizzy to fall into it's location and be fully seated, this is true,
...but I put the cap back on after I have dropped it in and simply hold pressure on the dizzy with my hand (just to keep it from jumping up off the cam gear) pushing lightly down on the cap and have someone just bump the starter. It falls right in place every time and I have the advance can clocked at the position I want it at. Then fire it up and set the timing with a light. You're done.

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John Wright

It is very easy to be one tooth off when dropping in a distributor.

got it! Thanks everyone! And Quick you made it clear this time around! http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/wink.gif

Thanks everybody. Bottom line is that the new distributor dropped in 1 tooth off and still mated with the oil pump shaft. Now I just have to decide if it bothers me enough to move it back. http://www.nastyz28.com/ubb/smile.gif Heck, this is my son's car anyway, I only see it when it needs some work!