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Omc 2.3L ford distributor 180 out? Newbie to this board, thanks!

J

jdavis2896

New member
Hello all,

new to message boards, and i could use some advice on a used omc boat i bought from a buddy of mine it is a 1989 bluefin sportsman model 1950 19 ft aluminum with a 2.3L ford omc stern drive TKO Cobra 232 amrgde. after looking at the firing order in the repair manual is it possible that my distributor was installed 180 off? to further explain in the book facing forward it shows that the number one on the distributor should be the first one on the left however my number one is facing towards rear right if you were facing forward the boat runs great and the timing is set on the mark of the crank at 10 BTDC but it will not get over 4100 rpm's and about 31MPH the prop is a 13.25x17 I thought it might be the prop but the guy at the prop store said it looked good and he looked it up and said it should have a max rpm of 5000 to 5500 he also recommended trying a 13.5x15 pitch prop. New plugs, rotor, wires, rotor cap etc. it has the pertronix ignitor II conversion the kind that has the red electonic pickup on the points plate then the black spacer that installs on the middle of the dist shaft not gaps in between the rotor and the spacer etc. with a CDI Shift Assist modular instead of the diode fix deal. The red wire from the pertronix is ran to a constant 12v source instead of the resistance ignition coil since it still has a 1.5 internal resistance coil with the resistance wire still in place which is new. it doesn't back fire or anything but the firing order on the distributor is really puzzling to me because the number one is facing back instead of forward or front left like the book shows a shop did replace the block a few years ago before I bought it, and they are not very credible is it possible they installed the distributor wrong and just set the timing to compensate or is that not possible it has a mallory dist RH rotation model number ys621cv. I dont know if this is a different ford 2.3 or if they installed the dist 180 out. Oh yah all the timing marks line up on the cam and the crank at 0 but the rotor is facing back for number one instead of towards the front. or just a different 2.3L block. it still has the aux distributor gear etc like the book.

Forgot to mention that the distributor cap is on correctly fitted into the tab on the dist housing so it is not installed backwards FYI.

thanks

sorry for all the redundancy i am new to this board but I have read I lot of postings on here for help and you all seem like a very helpful group so i thought I would give it a try.

any advice you may have would be helpful the main thing is can the distributor be 180 out and still time and run?
when I verified the timing the boat had muffs do I need to be under load?

thanks
 
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jdavis2896 said:
after looking at the firing order in the repair manual is it possible that my distributor was installed 180 off?
Yes.... it is possible, depending on which cycle the #1 cylinder was on at the time of the install.


to further explain in the book facing forward it shows that the number one on the distributor
The #1 cylinder will be the FWD-most located cylinder on most any engine......... including the in line 4's, in line 6's, V6's and V8's.
NOTE: FWD meaning the end opposite of the flywheel end.... and not related to flywheel facing FWD installations.


<<<<<< Forward or front of engine!

fo-2300.jpg



should be the first one on the left however my number one is facing towards rear right if you were facing forward
Let's talk Port/Starboard...... FWD/AFT....... Less confusion this way.

As you can see above, #1 will be the forward-most cylinder. If the cap is labeled for #1, #2, #3 and #4, I'd take advantage of it, and install the distributor shaft/gear correctly.
When re-indexed, the distributor housing will appear to be in the same position.


the boat runs great and the timing is set on the mark of the crank at 10 BTDC but it will not get over 4100 rpm's and about 31MPH
OK.... Hold on here!!!!!
Your ignition distributor "shaft" may be installed 180* out of phase (as per OEM) .... but in order to run this well, the firing order and ignition timing must be very close.

the prop is a 13.25x17 I thought it might be the prop but the guy at the prop store said it looked good and he looked it up and said it should have a max rpm of 5000 to 5500 he also recommended trying a 13.5x15 pitch prop. New plugs, rotor, wires, rotor cap etc.
You'll want to keep tuning and testing props until you can reach the OEM spec'd WOT RPM.

it has the pertronix ignitor II conversion the kind that has the red electonic pickup on the points plate then the black spacer that installs on the middle of the dist shaft not gaps in between the rotor and the spacer etc.
I can't say anything nice about the Pertronix Hall Effect kits...... so you're on your own there.


with a CDI Shift Assist modular instead of the diode fix deal. The red wire from the pertronix is ran to a constant 12v source instead of the resistance ignition coil since it still has a 1.5 internal resistance coil with the resistance wire still in place which is new. it doesn't back fire or anything but the firing order on the distributor is really puzzling to me because the number one is facing back instead of forward or front left like the book shows
To put this to rest.... bring the #1 cylinder's piston up to just shy of TDC on the Compression stroke.
Look at the distributor's rotor. Is it aiming towards the #1 spark plug wire tower socket?
If so...... #1 is OK.

Now roll the crankshaft 180*.
Repeat the above.
If the rotor is aiming towards the #3 spark plug wire tower socket, it too is OK.

Now roll 180* again..... If the rotor is now aiming towards the #4 spark plug wire tower socket, it too is OK.
No need to roll again...... if the others are OK...... the #2 has no choice but to be correct.

a shop did replace the block a few years ago before I bought it, and they are not very credible is it possible they installed the distributor wrong and just set the timing to compensate or is that not possible ......................
.............. Oh yah all the timing marks line up on the cam and the crank at 0 but the rotor is facing back for number one instead of towards the front. or just a different 2.3L block. it still has the aux distributor gear etc like the book.

With any even-fire engine, the orientation or "phasing" of the distributor shaft/gear is of little significance..... as long as the spark plug wiring and firing order are correct.
Click to expand...

If your cap is labeled as the one shown above, yet if it bothers you beyond sleep at night..... pull the distributor, rotate the shaft/gear 180*, reinstall it. Re-wire the cap, and re-set the timing to exactly what it was prior.

However, it's unlikely that you're going to see any change in performance if this is all that you change!


.
 
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Rick thanks for your reply it is very helpful.
the photo you provided is the same as in my book that is why I was puzzled looking at what i currently have, my number one is facing the aft/stern and the wires were rerouted to the proper cylinders one and three is facing the aft and 1 and 3 is facing forward that is why i assumed it was 180 off however after reading your post and this quote:
With any even-fire engine, the orientation or "phasing" of the distributor shaft/gear is of little significance..... as long as the spark plug wiring and firing order are correct.
as long as it passes the spin test for firing order you explained it doesn't really matter as long as the wires and the order is correct. I am pretty sure that is what you are saying but wanted to make sure.

If I pull the distributor and spin it do I have to worry about the oil pump gear?
 
rick,
I did the spin test the rotor does align with each cylinder as you described it seems like the distributor orientation is off.
 
jdavis2896 said:
as long as it passes the spin test for firing order you explained it doesn't really matter as long as the wires and the order is correct. I am pretty sure that is what you are saying but wanted to make sure.

If I pull the distributor and spin it do I have to worry about the oil pump gear?
Click to expand...

The two gears will mesh once you achieve oil pump drive alignment.

I'm not sure what this engine uses for an oil pump drive.... but I believe it's a Hex Drive.
If hex drive.... you'll have six shots at this.
If straigth slot drive... you have two shots at this.


jdavis2896 said:
rick,
I did the spin test the rotor does align with each cylinder as you described it seems like the distributor orientation is off.
Click to expand...
It's nice to take advantage of a numbered cap, and index the distributor shaft accordingly........ but it's not imperative if you understand how it's wired, and if it's wired for the correct firing order with an "even fire" engine.

This would not apply to an "Odd Fire" engine.... of which are rare anyway!



.
 
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