[gkopeck]

this is a follow up to my carb swap post:
i'm trying to advance the timing a little more but i've hit the trans vac line on the intake.
am i going to have to reseat the distributor? if so where would i move it, a tooth off? 'scares' me to move a perfectly set distributor because it's a pain in the but to do.
application is a '70 with a '64 283, and EB2101 intake/Qjet carb.

 

[Gene McGill]

You will either have to reseat the distributor (the most "correct" thing to do), or you can cheat and move each wire one position in the cap. Move them in the same direction as the cap needs to move, as in if you have to move your distributor ccw, but can't, move each wire to the next hole ccw from it. Note that this will be adding (or subtracting) 45° (360°/8)in the set timing, so you may want to back the distributor off a bit before trying to start the car after doing this.

[This message has been edited by Gene McGill (edited 08-22-99).]

 

[gkopeck]

hmmm. my favorite question is, how much damage can i do if i do the spark plug wire routine?

 

[Gene McGill]

If done right, none. It may cause some confusion if someone goes to replace the plug wires using a diagram, rather than doing the "one wire at a time" method.

 

[67RAT]

gkopeck
I would go the remove the distibutor and back it up route.take off the cap,mark where the rotor is ,mark it after you pull the distibutor up about 1 inch ,then pull the distibutor,move the oil pump shaft with a (long)reg screwdriver)about 1/8 th of a turn clockwise.then try to drop the distibutor in with the rotor turned 1/8th clockwise from the mark you made.and get rid of that powerslide tranny,make it 4-speed or 700-r auto.also tune the carb some,could help.

 

[73Malibu]

Something doesn't sound quite right here. You should be easily able to advance your timing way past 8° without hitting anything. Your dist is probably one or two teeth behind where it should be. as it is now.
I messed up my timing swapping distributors and, but went too far advanced, had to mash the dist to the firewall to get to to run without detonating completely. Had to back it off a few teeth, a real pain BTW. Getting the oil pump ligned up right takes some patinence. I have seen many cars at cruise nights with the wires off by one BTW, so that may work out for you.

------------------
Frank W
Gen X Member#22 (MA)
73 Malibu Coupe
http://hometown.aol.com/folingo/myhomepage/auto.html
Mighty 305 Power

 

[Gene Chas]

Gkopeck, do the distributor route. I did it a million times as a kid. It's very, very easy and no big shakes. Just follow Rat's instx. It'll take no time at all.

As a corollary, you will at some time in the future, reach a state of automotive bliss, where noting, nothing at all, "scares" you about the mechanics of your ride. Utter confidence.Then you have reached the apex of gearheaddom.

Race ya!

[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 08-22-99).]

 

[Gene McGill]

If you do go the distributer route, you don't have to pull the distributor all the way out to do it.

First determine which way you you have to move the rotor; if you can't move the distributor any further counter-clockwise to reach you timing mark them you will have to move your rotor clockwise a tooth, and vice-versa.

Second, loosen the hold-down clamp enough so that it can be moved back far enough to allow the distributor to come up out of the hole.

If you have to move the rotor clockwise, it is a piece of cake...just slowly twist the rotor clockwise , and the distributor will lift out of the hole as the shaft rides up the cam gear and releases itself from the oil pump. As you are slowly twisting it, you will feel it drop down as it starts to mesh with the next tooth on the distributor. Start rotating the rotor counter-clockwise until it will go no further. The shaft will not be aligned with the oil pump, so the distributor body will not drop completely down into the hole. To get it to line up, bump the starter once or twice. Loosely install the clamp and time it.

If you have to move the rotor counter-clockwise , it's just a little bit trickier, because you have to twist it clockwise until the distributer just releases from the cam gear, then lift the rotor/distributer just a hair so you can then rotate the rotor past the tooth you were at and grab the next tooth going counter clockwise. Re-aligning the oil pump is also done by bumping the starter.
You should probably disable the ignition prior to bumping the starter. If it's HEI, just unplug it. Points: disconnect power to the coil.

 

[gkopeck]

thanks guys! i'll give it a whirl. i'm surprised that it seems to want to advance past 10 deg.
i'm going to take a look at my timing tab too.

 

[Gene Chas]

gkopeck, don't sweat the 10 degrees. We set my "mystery" 396 ( don't know what's in the motor exactly ) at 14 and now I've got it bumped to 16-18 intial.

EDIT - Just an afterthought, find TDC and check everything to make sure your tavbs are right. I hope this is what you meant by " check your tape".

[This message has been edited by Gene Chas (edited 08-23-99).]