New distributor installation timing problems

[6bolt4g63]

Hey everyone.. i working on the final touches with my 350 swap.. my last situation im dealing with is installing the distributor. Since theres no previous marks, i dont know where to align it with. What ive done so far is... i turned #1 cylinder to TDC, dropped in the distributor to where it looks/fits good, and where the rotor is pointing.. thats where the #1 spark plug wire goes. Ived tried starting it and it just backfires. The way im determining the TDC is sticking a compression guage in the cylinder.. and when it hits the compression stroke and builds compression, i stop it there... i dont know what else method since its hard to see the spark plug hole. Sooo thats my situation.

Any help is appreciated... thanks.

 

[87MonteSS]

Once your on the compression stroke are you turning the engine until the timing mark is at zero?

Remember that the firing order is 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 and make sure that you have the plug wires in that order in the proper direction around the cap.

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

You probably have it 180 degrees out. There are several ways to find TDC on the compression stroke.The easiest is to have your finger over the #1 spark plug hole and when it gets blown out, you are on the compression stroke. The slightly more involved way is to pull the valve cover and check the balancer mark. When the timing marks line up be sure that both rocker arms are in the closed position and you have TDC at the #1 cylinder on the compression stroke.I have resorted to this method out of irritation on more than one occasion. Also be aware that the distributor will not always just drop right in, you sometimes have to put it in position and have someone hit the starter while you try to get it to drop in when the oil pump driveshaft aligns with the drive tang in the distributor shaft. After you get it to drop, put the engine at TDC on the compression stroke once again and static time the distributor by making a mark where #1 is on the distributor body just below the plug wire post and then aligning the rotor to that mark. It's a bigger PITA compared to the 4G63 you note in your screen name with the coil pack and cam angle sensor, but the V8 is much easier to work with overall. ( I hate fixing DSM's!!!)

 

[6bolt4g63]

Ok, the crank pulley has the timing mark, but the timing mark scale is off... it didnt come with the new engine that i swapped in, i had one put on there just for reference, so basically i want to make my own TDC mark on the crank pulley and mark it with relation of the "0". I know about aligning up the oil pump with the distributor. I aslo thought it was 180 degrees off, but i turned it 180 and still back fires. The fire order is correct going clockwise on the distributor.. and my wires are on the right cylinders. I have to try the finger method. Last thing, when its on TDC, is there any specific place the rotor should be pointing when the distributor is installed just to know im on the right track??

 

[85 Cutlass Brougham]

Ok, the crank pulley has the timing mark, but the timing mark scale is off... it didnt come with the new engine that i swapped in, i had one put on there just for reference, so basically i want to make my own TDC mark on the crank pulley and mark it with relation of the "0". I know about aligning up the oil pump with the distributor. I aslo thought it was 180 degrees off, but i turned it 180 and still back fires. The fire order is correct going clockwise on the distributor.. and my wires are on the right cylinders. I have to try the finger method. Last thing, when its on TDC, is there any specific place the rotor should be pointing when the distributor is installed just to know im on the right track??

Yes. Take a look at where you have the number one plug wire on the cap and mark directly below that on the distributor housing. That's where it should be. Oh, and the crank pulley does not have a mark on it, it is on the harmonic balancer.Unlike a 4G63, they are 2 separate pieces.The balancer bolts to the crank with one long bolt and slides over the crank snout, and the crank pulley bots to it with either 3 or 4 bolts( note: balancer bolt goes on AFTER the crank pulley is installed, not before).It is retained in place with a woodruff key that keeps the hub centered. However, if the balancer is old, there is a chance the inertia ring has slipped in relation to the crank hub and that can throw off the timing a little. It is also important to have the proper relationship of the timing mark to the timing pointer as there are 2 styles used and they may differ. I think they point to the same place, but one uses two bolts to bolt to the timing cover on the driver's side of the engine, one is welded to the timing cover at the factroy. Companies like MR Gasket offer the bolt on style for a few bucks and that's the kind I have on my 355 ( I painted it black with a white stripe at the zero point to make it easier to read). The balancer mark is a line cut through the entire width of the inertia ring and is also easy to find. I once again recommend some white paint inside it as it will make it easier to read. I have never seen a balancer without this mark.