Pulled distributor on 3vze....ooops
 

Like a dingwad, I pulled out my distributor to check the shaft for play. Was hunting down a mysterious vibration behind the timing cover. The motor was not set to TDC before doing so, either. So obviously I need to set it back on the compression stroke. How do I do this without the distributor in? The timing belt is still on with all related gears still aligned.

Please tell me how, or point me to the appropriate section in the FSM.

Thanks,
Dork

if you can see inside the sparkplug hole then you can pull the number one plug and with a flashlight watch while someone turns your crank over untill you see the piston reach the top and you have a 50/50 chance that you are on the compression stroke. then insert the distributor and give it a try. of course pull the battery cables before you start turning the crank. if it is 180 off then give it another shot. you can also have someone bump your starter with the number one plug pulled and the ignitor grounded you can feel with your finger in the spark plug hole the compression stroke. with each bump you should feel a suck, push, suck, push. the strongest push will be the compression stroke. line the timing mark on your harmonic balancer to top dead center and insert the distributor. don't be intimidated, it's not a big deal. and yeah the fsm outlines the process pretty well.

TDC at 0 is always at top dead center...

Thanks. Which section of the FSM is it in?

(EDIT: found it. Now if I can just get the page to load....grrr)

BTW, I happen to be Mempho native. Where might you live?

Yeah, but the rotor has to match up on the compression stroke at cyl. one to time it correctly. It could be a TDC on the exhaust stroke, too.

I usualy turnt he engine over with braker bar on the harmonic balacer bolt, or have a buddy do it, and wait til you feel a gust of air come out the #1 spark plug hole. never failed me.

works even better is you ahve a hose from a compression tester on there, you can put your thunb over the end.

That's an idea. Since I'll be doing this by my lonesome, I'm going to try that. Thanks.

That's how I did it by myself. I put a compression tester in sparkplug #1 hole, and spin the engine by hand. You have to give it a good fast turn to get any pressure to register on the guage, and it will probably only go up to 5-10 psi, but you should be able to see the difference between compression and exhaust strokes by doing it this way.

If you can remember where your rotor was pointing then just pop the distributor back in.

The body of the distributor and the block have alignment marks which will get your timing close enough to start.

Of course this won't work if the engine was rotated while the distributor was out.

Okay, thanks. :great:

Hahaha...no I can't remember. I had it pulled out and started screwing it with it before I'd realized the consequences of what I'd just done. The engine wasn't rotated, but no matter because I still don't know if it's sitting on the compression or exhaust stroke at the moment. Will today, though.

Thanks all!

BTW, never buy a timing light from Harbor Freight. Tried three times already. No worky!

Okay, I get it. If the the crank pulley is set to TDC and the cams are set on there marks, then it's at TDC on the compression stroke. That simple.

I just read on another forum that it's the cam position that determines exhaust or compression stroke.

And for anyone interested.....

A good way to set the timing belt tension (before you set the tensioner pulley) is to, of course, wrap the belt over the driver side cam pulley as tight as you can, then under the idler pulley, and then!!!...advance the pass. side cam pulley just a hair past the mark (toward the driver's side), wrap the belt over it and pull the pass. cam back to it's mark. It gets it good and tight! Provided you don't also pull the other pulley off of it's mark! Then, on to the rest of the procedure.

Anyhow....onward through the fog.

That's EXACTLY how I did it.

How 'bout that? Not much "original" anymore...hehe.