[AdamLym]

After priming the oil system in my 406, what is the proper way to put in your distributor? Is it to set the rotor ON the #1 cylinder, or is it slightly before? Thanks!

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1971 Chevelle Malibu - 406 sbc TH350

Pictures of my '71 before I got it home
Pics of my '71 after I got it home
Picture of my 406 c.i. small block
Pictures of the frame, firewall and interior (in progress)
NEW UPDATED PICTURES (1/04/01)

ENGINE INSTALL PICS!!!

 

[Jay W]

Turn your motor by hand to about 10degrees BTDC on the front cover timing pointer, then line up the rotor with number one. That way you'll know you have the right amount of advance to start the engine.

 

[Randy Mosier]

Jay's right on the money. You could probably have your timing light set up and ready so you can set the initial timing right after the engine fires off. Those few seconds of idle time won't hurt anything. But it is important to get it fired up and up to the recommended RPM for cam break-in ASAP. It wouldn't hurt to pre-fill the carb float bowl with fuel either. The less time you spend cranking the engine, the less likely you'll wipe a cam lobe.

 

[Sid Coleman]

What's worked well for me is to set the crank at #1 TDC, remove #1 plug, connect it to the plug wire and ground the end, then move distributor with the key on until you get a spark. That should put you close enough to start without any backfiring. Worked well for my bro in law's car, fired right up!

Good luck!

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71 Ragtop, finally under reconstruction!
MCC #347, TC (Gold) #174
[email protected]

 

[68Chevelleguy]

Sorry for the stupid question, but what do you guys mean, or how do you set the rotor to #1?

 

[Sid Coleman]

No problem! Usually refers to where-ever the distributor rotor points when #1 cylinder is at TDC.
To determine #1 TDC, remove plug, hold finger over plug hole while a helper bumps motor over. When it blows your finger out, you're on the compression stroke. Carefully bump it until the pointer lines up on the balancer.

 

[Fine69]

Follow the #1 plug wire fron the plug to the cap. Hold the cap above the dist if you have to in order to see where the rotor should be point when you find top dead center as the others describe.

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...Dennis
Topless '69

 

[Guest]

Do it Sid's way. But first turn it over by hand until the timing mark is at about 12 degrees BTDC on the compression stroke. Take out #1 spark plug, connect to the the plug wire, ground the end of the plug to something (the head), turn the key to "on", then rotate the distributor back and forth slowly until you get a spark. Lock down the distrib. Put some gas in the primary side fuel bowl. It should fire up immediately with little need to screw around with timing.