Distributor timing using piston #8
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Distributor timing using piston #8
Story of 1990 motorhome with rusted gas tank, ruined fuel injection, dead ignition, etc, etc.
DOA in my driveway. Repair costs greater than total value.
This old BBC 454 is crammed into my motorhome,,, so you cannot see or reach the front of the engine.
Everything is behind the radiator"hood". Indoors, there is a trap-door engine cover.
OK... there's aircleaner, distributor, xmission-dipstick, hot exhaust manifolds.
We assume you are a small strong-arm-mechanic with small hands, and home-made spark plug tools.
Install new plugs, plug wires, and new distributor (coil-in-cap) with vacuum advance.
( connect ONLY plug wire #8 to the cap )
Hit the key, and you could hear the lighting bolt inside the spark-plug-cap.
Wait a minute,,, thats piston #8 ! Yeah, we had to install the front cylinders from a creeper !
4, 6, & 8 is all you can reach from the top !
We have it figgured out... bring #8 upto TDC using trick-tool (6"long PVC-pipe with spark-plug-threads) & your thumb.
Trick-tool wll sound familiar every stroke of the piston.
Last step: With the creeper + timing light, check & set the desired timing of #8.
Is the crank-timing-marker visible ? (you could be 180^degrees off base). Thumb on the trick-tool, roll #8 to TDC.
Also, If that is NOT the best cap-wire position,
you may remove & remount the distributor 180 degrees. The manual shows #8 at the front of the cap.
Will this work ? Not exactly. The crank-timing-marker is for piston #1 ONLY. #8 fired 45^degrees ago ! (360^ / 8pistons = 45^ each )
You need to mark (white chalk) the crank position when #8 is TDC.
Beware!! If & when the BBC backfires, it will explode that cheap paper air cleaner.
Remember you are "indoors", SHE does not like things that explode indoors !
DOA=DeadOnArrival
BBC=BigBlockChevy
TDC=TopDeadCenter
PVC=Plastic
SHE=SheHearsEverything !
DOA in my driveway. Repair costs greater than total value.
This old BBC 454 is crammed into my motorhome,,, so you cannot see or reach the front of the engine.
Everything is behind the radiator"hood". Indoors, there is a trap-door engine cover.
OK... there's aircleaner, distributor, xmission-dipstick, hot exhaust manifolds.
We assume you are a small strong-arm-mechanic with small hands, and home-made spark plug tools.
Install new plugs, plug wires, and new distributor (coil-in-cap) with vacuum advance.
( connect ONLY plug wire #8 to the cap )
Hit the key, and you could hear the lighting bolt inside the spark-plug-cap.
Wait a minute,,, thats piston #8 ! Yeah, we had to install the front cylinders from a creeper !
4, 6, & 8 is all you can reach from the top !
We have it figgured out... bring #8 upto TDC using trick-tool (6"long PVC-pipe with spark-plug-threads) & your thumb.
Trick-tool wll sound familiar every stroke of the piston.
Last step: With the creeper + timing light, check & set the desired timing of #8.
Is the crank-timing-marker visible ? (you could be 180^degrees off base). Thumb on the trick-tool, roll #8 to TDC.
Also, If that is NOT the best cap-wire position,
you may remove & remount the distributor 180 degrees. The manual shows #8 at the front of the cap.
Will this work ? Not exactly. The crank-timing-marker is for piston #1 ONLY. #8 fired 45^degrees ago ! (360^ / 8pistons = 45^ each )
You need to mark (white chalk) the crank position when #8 is TDC.
Beware!! If & when the BBC backfires, it will explode that cheap paper air cleaner.
Remember you are "indoors", SHE does not like things that explode indoors !
DOA=DeadOnArrival
BBC=BigBlockChevy
TDC=TopDeadCenter
PVC=Plastic
SHE=SheHearsEverything !
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