Distributor position question

[BLACK AND BLUE 67-72]

How can you tell if one is off 180 degrees? And what are the symptoms?

[ddsmith]

If you installed the distributor 180 degrees out the truck will not start. The best way to check is to pull #1 spark plug, have someone bump the engine while you hold your thumb over the spark plug hole and crank until the pressure pushes your thumb off the hole. When pressure pushes your thumb off your on the compression stroke. Continue rotating the engine till at top dead center on the damper/timing tag. Pull distributor cap and look and see where the rotor is pointing. Adjust the plug wires so the rotor is pointing at the #1 sparkplug terminal on the cap. An alternative would be to pull out the distributor and drop it back down in the orientation you desire and then ensure that the rotor is pointing at #1 sparkplug terminal.

[BLACK AND BLUE 67-72]

Would it be possible to start, but just very hard to get started and impossible to adjust timing, and also when it was started would it backfire while idling? It doesn't really backfire it just kind of spits back through the carb then runs smooth, then spits then runs smooth, I can't figure out what the problem is.

[ddsmith]

I would double check your firing order to ensure you didn't cross a wire. It's easy to do. Just remember that good old 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2. I all is well on the firing order. When you said it is impossible to set the timing. What do you mean? Make sure your timing light is connected to #1 wire. I accidently connected mine to #3 once and was real confused for a couple of seconds.

[BLACK AND BLUE 67-72]

Impossible as in no matter where you put the dist. It still seems to be out of time while trying to get it started. I checked the wires 6 times and they are all in the correct positions, according to all of the service manuals that I have. When trying to start it the timing seems to be really slow, no matter where you move the dist. then if you do get it running it runs smooth then it's like it gets a hiccup and spits back through the carb, almost killing the engine then smoothes out and does it all over again. I traded for the truck for little of nothing and thats how it was when I got it, the only things I changed were the plug wires and the distributor cap and rotor, all of which did not help. So I am really confused because I didn't know if it was possible for it to run if it was 180 out, or if maybe a valve was stuck, but I don't know if that would cause the hard starting and make it impossible to time???????

[jamis]

sounds like your just retarded 1 tooth.
1. position #1 piston at top dead center. if you not shure your in the correct stroke #6 cyl will be in valve overlap at the same time as #1 is at TDC.
2. Now look at your rotor and make shure it is pointed to the #1 wire on the dist cap. If both these things are true then your in the correct position. If not pull out the dist. and reposition. The dist. will want to fall in the same exact position as you removed it because of the postion of the oil pump drive shaft. Place it in a postion just before the location of the number #1 wire, do not force it down instead just turn the engine over slowly until the dist. drops down all the way and then recheck the position. That should get you close to where you want to be.
3. if you really want to get close....... turn you crank to 12 deg. BTDC on your timing marks and your points should just begin to open at this time or line up the trigger in the electronic dist.