Pulled the distributortiming readjust

I pulled the distributor cap a

I pulled the distributor cap and assembly out in order to get easy access for replacing the lifter cover and to spray paint the block.

Question: Will I have to readjust the timing now? Ignition is EST with 4 wires going into distributor and a clamp to hold distributor alignment.

If so...what is the best/easiest way to do it? Crank and slowly turn the dist. until it runs smooth?

94 3.0L Alpha Gen II.

"did you take the distributor

"did you take the distributor out or just remove the cap/rotor/wires?

If you didnt remove the destributor, you should be fine. Replace the cap and wires.

If you did remove the distributor, you will need to rest the timing. For starters, roll the engine over to TDC #1 firing position. Replace destributor with rotor pointing to number one plug wire under the destributor cap. Engine should run at Top Dead Center. With a timing light, turn distributor to advance timing to base timing specs and tighten down. With 4 wires, it should be electronic and have a preset advance curve.

The old technique of advancing until it knocks and then back off is probably better used on your 71 pickup truck as detonation can do some damage if your spark is too far advanced.

just thoughts.
david"

"I removed the entire distribu

"I removed the entire distributor. I have pretty good mechanic skills but have never messed with timing.

How do I know when the engine is at TDC? Watch rocker arms?

And...I know this is broad but how do I use a timing light.


*edit

Tell me if this is right. Hook timing light to plug wire #1. Turn engine over until dimple on crankpulley is at the 0 on the little timing scale that is hooked to the timing cover. Put some whiteout or something on it to make it visible. Put on distributor with rotor pointing directly at #1. Tighten clamp. Crank engine. Use light and twist distributor until it goes to the right advancement. (i'll have to look it up, i've got the book)"

"Ok, just looked at it again.

"Ok, just looked at it again. The guy that rebuilt the motor before me put a scribe on the base of the distributor and the block. I should be able to just bump the engine over to TDC and then set the rotor to approximately cyl 1 and line up the scribe marks right?"

"pull#1 plug,bump starter till

"pull#1 plug,bump starter till you feel compression on your finger,crefully watch mark on balancer, as you feel pressure on you finger bring the mark even with the tab on timing cover,make sure the kine on the balancer is even with"0" on the tab,now you have top dead center.now install the dist. with the metal tip of the rotor pointed to #1 cylinder,this should be close enough to start the motor,after it starts,adjust by ear so you can gradually rev it slightly without backfiring,now install the timing lite with spark plug clamp on #1 wire ,set timimg to 8 degrees and snug the holdown clamp,let it warm up at idle,shut it off,try to tart it,it should crank 3or 4 times and start!rev it to about 2500,and let it run,check the timing again at idle ,set your idle to spec and you SHOULD be done,good luck,if you decide to except this mission tape will self destruct in 5 second!!"

"Thanks Danny, EXACTLY what I

"Thanks Danny, EXACTLY what I needed to know."

"Good summary, Danny. I would

"Good summary, Danny. I would add that you might want to roll the motor over by hand with a socket wrench on the crank shaft pully bolt and not with the starter. The "finger on the #1 spark plug hole" is to make sure that #1 is on it's compression/fire stroke and not on its exhaust/intake stroke."

"Can you tell the difference b

"Can you tell the difference between compression and intake strokes by watching the pulley? Does the line on the pulley point to 180 degrees out on intake, or does it line up to 0 on both? I was wondering if there is an easy way to do it alone."

"No. With a four stroke engine

"No. With a four stroke engine, each cylinder fires once every two revolutions of the crank (720 degrees).

#1 cylinder events in degrees:
0 (TDC) - 180 fire
180 - 360 exhust
360 (also 0 TDC) - 540 intake
540 - 720 (also 0 TCD) compression

a finger over the spark plug hole on the exhaust intake stroke at TDC will not feel compression as the valves are open.

easy way to do it: put it on TDC, put a breaker bar on the crank pully, pull a plug, stick you finger over the hole, roll the motor back and forth to feel for compression. Open a can of beer.

Hays"