Pull the #1 spark plug {front on passenger side}, stick your thumb over the hole and tick it over until you start to get compression, then turn the engine by hand to TDC on the balancer.

Find spark plug wire #1 on the distributor cap, match the rotor to it and drop the distributor in. The rotor will turn as the cam gear engages, so double check the position of the rotor and turn the distributor until the rotor lines up with the #1 terminal.

Fire it up and set the final timing.

I take out the spark plug on the #1 cylinder and put a long, brand-new pencil into the spark plug hole. Make sure the pencil is long enough to sit on top of the piston and still stick out of the hole.

I then turn the engine over by hand while I watch the pencil. (NOTE: I have to take ALL the spark plugs out in order to have no compression, so I can turn the engine easier...I'm a weakling, OK?) Anyhow, I watch the pencil VERY CAREFULLY and I try to see when the pencil is sticking out the farthest. When it is sticking out the farthest, the #1 piston is at the top of its compression stroke. I immediately stop turning the engine and go to the distributor.

I take the distributor cap off and I notice where the distributor rotor is pointing. Where it is pointing is where the contact of the #1 cylinder should be. Carefully rotate your distributor's body so that the contact in the distributor cap for the #1 cylinder spark plug wire lines up with where the rotor is pointing. (You will have to take the distributor cap on and off to make sure you have the alignment right.)

Once you have the #1 cylinder contact lined up with the rotor, your engine is perfectly timed. Tighten down the distributor hold-down clamp and start the engine.

Drive the car, and get up to about 45-50 mph. If you notice knocking (pinging), then you need to either switch to a higher-octane gas (I run only premium in my car), or more likely you will need to fine-tune the timing.

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*andy* ([email protected])

also known as...***Boss Hoss***

if i read everything rite i'm suppose to set the timing with the vacuum hose off then put the vacuum back on wen the timing is set rite?

my new problem is that wen i set the timing and then put the vacuum hose back on....everytime i try to accelerate the car stalls...but if i leave the vacuum hose off then i don't have a problem accelerating....what can be wrong? i kno its not the carb cuz i just had it rebuilt and tuned and the car was running perfectly before i took the distributor out...uhmm anymore insites ads to wat it might be?

I have also found that 6 degrees of base timing is usually not enough.. I always ran mine at 10-12 degrees for better acceleration and fuel economy..

They're right, try 10 degrees.

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Originally posted by Fuzion:
hey dan thanks alot....i figured out wat was wrong....it turnded out that the points (tho new) were burnt out i guess cause the key was left in the on position by my lil sister wen i was working on my car... so i got new ones and it worked...i also set my timing at 8degrees which seems to work prett well for now.....but u said 10-12 is better? if u don't mind me asking like how much better? cuz i was afraid it would be too far advinced and watnots since its mainly my daily driver for now. any info on that would really help thanks again everyone!

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