Well, we have our 17 year old daughters first vehicle! It was originally ours brand new back in '93 and we bought it back for her, and family nostalgia.

I replaced the failing distributor and now it won't start. I didn't watch where the rotor was pointed before I swapped the distributor out. I'm trying to get some bullet point guidance from here so I don't screw this up further. Much appreciated!

 

Did you follow the directions on how to install the distributor? http://web.archive.org/web/201212070...13distribu.pdf

Even if you followed the installation instructions (which, you will note, require you to set the crank to TDC and confirm the position of the rotor BEFORE you remove the distributor), you could now still be 180° out (there are two TDCs for each turn of the distributor). You could go old-school with a TDC whistle https://www.autozone.com/test-scan-a...le/1211013_0_0 , but it might be easier to remove the upper timing belt cover and look at the marking on the cam sprockets (pointing up at TDC compression for cylinder #1).

 

Nope, like the newbie I am, I found videos with the exact truck and it didn't reference the crank shaft. All I thought was the rotor to be pointing at the #1 Plug and ensure the distributor alignment markers were pointed appropriately when mounting. I didn't start finding manuals like you've included here until after I screwed it all up.

If I understand your notes and other info I've found, to move forward from here; either your thoughts of the timing belt cover or removing the spark plug:
1. Take truck out of gear.
2. Use a wrench/socket and turn the crank shaft pulley clockwise until I can get the alignment of TDC/*0 Degrees on the marking cover.
2. Then remove distributor and align the rotor to plug #1

Is that correct?

Can't thank you and this forum enough for all the help and resources!

 

Almost. There are two TDCs (compression stroke, and exhaust stroke). Unless you remove the timing cover (or use a whistle, or other means) you only have a 50% chance of getting it on the compression stroke. (Since you didn't leave it there when you removed the distributor.)

The distributor drive gear is helical, so the shaft twists as the gears mesh. So you don't just align the rotor to #1 (it will twist away). Instead, ... you follow the directions. The marks on the distributor take the helical gear into account. If you miss, and you're off one tooth, your timing will be off by about 28°.

 

Thanks so much! Off to buy the whistle and see if my self made DIY mess can get her behind the wheel this weekend. I'll be back for sure.

 

Well, we have life. Ran with the 50/50 chance first and turned the crank shaft to align at 0 and re-installed the distributor and made sure the alignment marks are dead on and the rotor is pointing to the top/#1. I gambled with the process and the 2nd reset, it at least starts but struggles to keep running so I turned it off. Any guidance from here now? I'm trying to do this in my driveway and the timing cover as best I can understand is going to be quite the to-do.

 

Update-Just learned under the hood has the timing sticker that says I need to set the crank at 10* Before TDC. I'm thinking I reset the crank to 10 and then try the 50/50 game again with the distributor installation. But, if I don't get lucky again, I can go the whistle route in the spark plug and set the crank shaft to 10. Learning for sure.

 

Uh, you have a timing light, don't you? https://www.harborfreight.com/timing...nce-40963.html

 

Yes, I've got a light. I feel like I'm so close. Set crank to zero, pulled and installed the distributor a few times, trying a slightly different gear/thread of the drive and keeping the rotor close to the #1. I was able to mark the light between 10-5 (6?) by adjusting the distributor up and down while it's running. I have a little room available with the bolt to slide the distributor down a bit more. I can drive it down the road, but as soon as I start climbing up our small hill and giving it some gas, you can tell it's not firing right and sputters. The idle seems pretty consistent around 800 or so, but then it drags down for a few seconds, and if I pull the throttle cable it comes back up and stays steady again. I tinkered with the idle adjustment screw to make sure it was around 800. I'm so damn close!! Thoughts from here?

 

You may have already read procedure in fsm
TDC
Marks on gear and lower housing
Marks on upper housing and hold down bracket
All lining up when inserting

 

Thanks Andy! I didn't realize the tooth on the gear had a specific marker either.

I started from the beginning with your note here and all markers are aligned from the crank set at zero, distributor aligned with all the markings/guides:
-Rotor looks points just to the right of center/just barely right of the #1 if I align everything to the marks. Should I turn the rotor gear just offset by 1 tooth so when it worm drive in, the mark on the gear and the shaft end up aligning, or slide it in with them aligned?

-It started up and the light was picking up the timing mark -10 (way right)
-Adjusted the distributor clockwise which brought it back over.
-The distributor is turned clockwise as far as it can go, and the timing is lighting at 8ish to 9.
-I can't quite get to 10.

It feels like it ran pretty dang well when I just drove it, but it doesn't seem right to have to have the distributor turned down all the way and still not be able to get there?

Any thoughts now?
-Twist the gear/rotor by one tooth?
-Start at 5 instead of zero with the crank pulley?

Thanks all!

 

Sounds like you might be off a tooth still.
ALso, are you jumping the TE1 and E1 terminals in the diagnostic port when you're setting the ignition timing?

 

Wow, didn't realize changing the ignition rotor could lead to such a mess... When I did mine it was simply remove and replace, so long as you installed it the same way you had no problems...
probably helps to take pics or videos just to make sure you do it right.

 

I think, though I may well be in error, that Andy A has the key, but you missed it.
With the crankshaft @ TDC for the #1 cylinder,

HAVE All THE MARKS LINED UP WHEN INSERTING. During insertion, things move.

If the rotor is poiinting straight up, as it should be, during insertion it will rotate CCW to the 10 o'clock position, pointing at the #1 post. Then you can lock it down, lightly, but enough to hold it, jumper TE1-E1,and start it. The timin light, clipped to the #1 spark plug cable, should show the timing mark steady at about the 10° position. Certainly close enough to bring it to the correct position with a small adjustment of the distributor.

Then, pull the jumper out, and check the timing. It should now indicate 12-15°, variable.

Finally, snug down the adjustment bolt.

Try all that, and see how it turns out for ya
Pat☺

 

Other things to consider are

timing belt may have skipped a tooth and the only way to check is pull the covers.

Outer ring on damper has slipped and 0 tdc is no longer true tdc