Timing Help ASAP- Distributor Install

ASSISTANCE Stock Engine-Bay Components
1

I replaced my distributor a week ago and attempted to adjust my timing back to stock 16 degrees. I cannot get the timing back to 16 degress or even close to 18 degrees. It’s a little bit above the 18 degree mark, the first mark. The distributor is as far forward as it can go.

-Here’s what I did. Kind of a write up on how to change the distributor

  1. Disconnect the battery, I just took of the negative battery post.
  2. Turn the crank pulley bolt so that the TDC mark lines up with the plastic mark on the black plastic piece.
  3. Disconnect the two groups of wires that are connected to the distr.
  4. Unloose the bolts holding the distributor, not the cap.
  5. Carefully pull out the distributor.
  6. Take off the cap
  7. Take out the rotor and use it for the new one
  8. Put cap on the new one
  9. Carefully insert the distributor into the “hole”
  10. Tighten the bolts that holds the distributor, don’t tighten too tight
  11. Plug in the two groups of wires
  12. Hook up your battery
  13. Start the engine and wait 5-10 minutes
  14. Adjust the timing with a timing gun
  15. Move the distributor forward and backwards to get timing to your desired position and tighten the bolts
  16. In my case, I got it as close to the 18 degree mark as best as I could, but I want it to be at stock 16 degrees or even at the 18 degree mark.

Anyone with any ideas, PLEASE HELP me out. Thanks

2

Read your Helms manual for the proper Ignition timing procedure, or google it, or search on this forum, there’s probably a full write-up. Your process is pretty much correct, but you need to jump the service check connector before attempting to adjust your ignition timing. It’s the same connector you jump when trying to check ECU codes. If you don’t jump that connector the ECU doesn’t know what’s going on.

Also, you do not need to set the engine to TDC in order to remove the distributor. And you don’t need to remove the distributor to change the cap and rotor.

3

Seconded. If you adjust your ignition timing without jumping the service check connector your ECU will compensate to try and set it back. You shouldn’t have any problems after that.

Also correct about cap and rotor. As long as the rotor screw is facing your firewall within 35 degrees or so, you should be able to get even a long neck screwdriver behind it to get it out without removing the entire distributor.

4

I know you don’t have to remove the distributor to change the cap and rotors. I was replacing the distributor, and I needed the cap and rotor from the old one.