On a 4.3 vortec engine, the distributor doesn't turn, so you'd have to align the distributor shaft gear properly to seat the distributor with the rotor pointing to the number 1 plug wire on the cap. Just one tooth off to the left or right, will run roughly Or not at all.
Love that classic intro for a good old how to video! This is how I was taught back in the day. Maybe it's the availability of special tools that makes people want to complicate things?
You can bring up number one, both valves closed and just drop the distributor, wherever your rotor is pointing make that number one and follow your firing order from there. I was told this by my boss at a speed shop I worked at back in the 90's. I've done this before (as an experiment) with zero issue, it made no difference as long as I put number one where the rotor was pointing. Now, with all that being said, it does make you feel kinda dirty and like you're doing something wrong and it absolutely will cause arguments.
Great video Brother! Good to see you guys working on the 65! I have ran into videos where people over complicate or over explain. It sucks because that is 30 to 45 minutes you can’t get back!! Life rule for me: KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)… 💯👊🏾👊🏾
I ran my '83 180 degrees out for a couple of years, i stabbed it in wrong, and was in a hurry so i rewired the plugs. Fixed it the next time i pulled the distributor.
I get ya brother on this one. What burns me on this task, even when you scrupulously mark the dist body, where pointer is setting, then pull the distributor out, it invariably will not drop back in place. It just "sits" right in top of that damn hex pump drive shaft. Then you can bump the motor to get it to drop in, or move it with a rachet on the damper. But moment you do that, all of your "marks" go out the damn window anyway !!! For those of us, who are trying to preserve our hard fought, "power timed" timing setting, without having to do that crap all over again, or break down and get out the timing gun 🔫 again !!! I'm pissed just thinking about it !!!!
One of the first time you and I spoke we were standing over an engine bay. I didn’t even notice until you pointed it out, but the distributor looked like it was about 90* out or some crazy ish. The car ran fine.
Totally agree. I worked on Chev's mostly and you can stab it in 180-degrees 'OFF' you just have to figure out how to turn the distributor that far or re-wire the cap. In the end the firing order and timing is all that matters that oil pump doesn't care as long as it turns. BUT checking throttle-response without the vacuum-advance hooked up isn't as effective as it was for you after it WAS hooked up I'll bet. It matters isn't it worth about 20-degrees of extra advance at idle and low-throttle??
Hell yeah I love the car, love the setup, love that you’re not planning on selling it I’ve been working on a 56 Chevy 210 and the floors on it were just about gone, so I used the whole panels from Eckler’s including grafting in bits of a toe pan, and a bunch of other metal. Keep grinding man
Good stuff! I always heard you had to "point the rotor to #1", not so much a tooth off until I got into Fords. Glad to see some one else gets the mechanics of this stuff too!
I always mark the rotor position on the plastic body/cover. Then go back and drop it back in and try to figure out which grease pencil mark it was out of the 3 or 4 I forgot to wipe off. "Then" back to TDC on # 1 and re-do everything, lol
@@brokentoolgarage Thanks. I have to cut down on these stupid mistakes for sure. I have learned my lesson after last time. There will be no more back to TDC on #1 and start all over, lol Thanks for your comment sir.
Depending on how far off, you cannot simply tune it out of existence. The vacuum advance on a small block Ford will hit the radiator hose and you're done....
Been there, with those sight glasses, 10 years ago. Bought, one set, figured I over tightened them. Bought, another set. They, broke off, also. Available, at the time, at O'Reilly auto parts. Haven't seen them, since.
Ive been fighting this dizzy issue for the longest time, had a shitty timing light, then dropped the oil pump shaft into the oil pan. I honestly gave up !!! My dizzy snout it literally bottom out onto my thermostat housing and running at 10 Deg, would like to try more but really scared on pulling her back out for like the 5th time haha!
Good video. I like to set my dizzy up where the plug wire routing looks pleasing to the eye as well. By the way, judging from the sound, your starter might need a slight rotation adjustment to eliminate that screetch on startup.
Very cool. #1 can be any where you want it to be, as long as you have adjustability. I just swapped out the distributor in my 351w , and of course it is a tooth off. lol 😂!! But I just moved the plug wires around to compensate for the adjustments. It runs great now. The Pro Comp distributor I had in it only lasted 3,500 miles before taking a crap. Two days before Fordtakeover 23!!! Grrrrr 😂great video btw, thanks for what you do.
Vented, uniset points? On a carb car it doesn’t matter where you drop the distributor. #1 can be anywhere. You could have just moved the ignition wires backwards in the same firing order. I’m sure you know that. Fuel injected cars you have to be on the money when you drop it in. Also make sure the oil pump shaft doesn’t fall in. Don’t ask😅
Throughout my wrenching on old fords.. I’ve heard horror stories about “cam eating distributor gears” and using a “bronze”- harden distributor gear .. Can you shed some light on this, and what to do to keep it from happening ?
What if you were a tooth off installing the distributor? The distributor gears teeth being a tooth off. What happens if your distributor is a tooth off to the left or right?
The true old school, vacuum advance and the old points in a distributor. I believe the most of the points gap were around .020. At least from what I remember. On the old stuff, really don't need to make things over complicated.
yea but a tooth off would make it impossible to change the modulator on a fox..sure you can pull the dizzy but why make sure its on the tooth..thats just me
I have an 1986 mustang gt, motor is stock, I had no spark...Changed the plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, solenoid, TFI module and then the entire distributor. Now the car runs but has a very random miss. Any ideas would be mush appreciated.
There is a neat way you can change the injector timing by going a tooth either way. The window for the PIP hall effect sensor bolted onto the distributor has a leading and trailing edge by which the EEC uses to time injection. You can make the injectors fire 40 deg off oem spec by playing with the drop in. Usually a larger cam loves the injectors firing sooner. Ignition timing remains same.
I have a 92 blown LX with about 850 RWHP I need to sell. would you know anyone that would be interested? It's in excellent condition I bought it new in 92
yup tooth off is a myth, only time it applies is when you can't rotate the distributor far enough
Thankyou!
On a 4.3 vortec engine, the distributor doesn't turn, so you'd have to align the distributor shaft gear properly to seat the distributor with the rotor pointing to the number 1 plug wire on the cap.
Just one tooth off to the left or right, will run roughly Or not at all.
Love that classic intro for a good old how to video! This is how I was taught back in the day. Maybe it's the availability of special tools that makes people want to complicate things?
I guess so. Also people like to make things seem overly complicated so that others think they are smart.
You can bring up number one, both valves closed and just drop the distributor, wherever your rotor is pointing make that number one and follow your firing order from there. I was told this by my boss at a speed shop I worked at back in the 90's. I've done this before (as an experiment) with zero issue, it made no difference as long as I put number one where the rotor was pointing. Now, with all that being said, it does make you feel kinda dirty and like you're doing something wrong and it absolutely will cause arguments.
You are 100% correct. I never understood when people told me they put the distributor in 180 off. LoL
Great video Brother! Good to see you guys working on the 65!
I have ran into videos where people over complicate or over explain. It sucks because that is 30 to 45 minutes you can’t get back!! Life rule for me: KISS (Keep It Simple Stupid)… 💯👊🏾👊🏾
Exactly. Sometimes simple just works! Btw I sent you a reply through email. Thanks again 💪
@@BREW2LFOXBODY Ok my Brother! My pleasure to contribute to the project! That is what community is all about…💯👊🏾👊🏾
I ran my '83 180 degrees out for a couple of years, i stabbed it in wrong, and was in a hurry so i rewired the plugs. Fixed it the next time i pulled the distributor.
I get ya brother on this one. What burns me on this task, even when you scrupulously mark the dist body, where pointer is setting, then pull the distributor out, it invariably will not drop back in place. It just "sits" right in top of that damn hex pump drive shaft. Then you can bump the motor to get it to drop in, or move it with a rachet on the damper.
But moment you do that, all of your "marks" go out the damn window anyway !!! For those of us, who are trying to preserve our hard fought, "power timed" timing setting, without having to do that crap all over again, or break down and get out the timing gun 🔫 again !!! I'm pissed just thinking about it !!!!
One of the first time you and I spoke we were standing over an engine bay. I didn’t even notice until you pointed it out, but the distributor looked like it was about 90* out or some crazy ish. The car ran fine.
Preach to em! I've been compensating my whole life bro
Totally agree. I worked on Chev's mostly and you can stab it in 180-degrees 'OFF' you just have to figure out how to turn the distributor that far or re-wire the cap. In the end the firing order and timing is all that matters that oil pump doesn't care as long as it turns. BUT checking throttle-response without the vacuum-advance hooked up isn't as effective as it was for you after it WAS hooked up I'll bet. It matters isn't it worth about 20-degrees of extra advance at idle and low-throttle??
I dunno if I’ve ever installed a distributor that you can rotate 180 degrees while installed
Hell yeah
I love the car, love the setup, love that you’re not planning on selling it
I’ve been working on a 56 Chevy 210 and the floors on it were just about gone, so I used the whole panels from Eckler’s including grafting in bits of a toe pan, and a bunch of other metal.
Keep grinding man
Truth! Thanks for sharing!
Good stuff! I always heard you had to "point the rotor to #1", not so much a tooth off until I got into Fords. Glad to see some one else gets the mechanics of this stuff too!
I always mark the rotor position on the plastic body/cover. Then go back and drop it back in and try to figure out which grease pencil mark it was out of the 3 or 4 I forgot to wipe off. "Then" back to TDC on # 1 and re-do everything, lol
@@robertclymer6948 Sharpie markers work great. I put a mark on the cap and a mark on the intake/fuel rail or w/e the vacuum (or TFI) is pointing
@@brokentoolgarage Thanks. I have to cut down on these stupid mistakes for sure. I have learned my lesson after last time. There will be no more back to TDC on #1 and start all over, lol Thanks for your comment sir.
@@robertclymer6948 No problem, and good luck!
I’ve been stacking my bread, I’ll be fixing my 86 rag top very soon. Thank you for the info.
I have a friend mechanic...been working on cars for over 20 years..last year he lost some finger to an open fan...put a fan shroud on there soon.
Nice job guys!
Is the Chassis Saver similar to the POR15.
I've ised the POR15 because of the same characteristics.
That squeeze bottle is great idea.
Been saying this for years. On a Fox, just make sure the TFI doesn't run into the t-stat.
Depending on how far off, you cannot simply tune it out of existence. The vacuum advance on a small block Ford will hit the radiator hose and you're done....
Awesome job!
Good stuff. Been telling friends this for a while.
Been there, with those sight glasses, 10 years ago. Bought, one set, figured I over tightened them. Bought, another set. They, broke off, also. Available, at the time, at O'Reilly auto parts. Haven't seen them, since.
Ive been fighting this dizzy issue for the longest time, had a shitty timing light, then dropped the oil pump shaft into the oil pan. I honestly gave up !!! My dizzy snout it literally bottom out onto my thermostat housing and running at 10 Deg, would like to try more but really scared on pulling her back out for like the 5th time haha!
Good video. I like to set my dizzy up where the plug wire routing looks pleasing to the eye as well. By the way, judging from the sound, your starter might need a slight rotation adjustment to eliminate that screetch on startup.
Yeah I could never find that tooth off.
Very cool. #1 can be any where you want it to be, as long as you have adjustability. I just swapped out the distributor in my 351w , and of course it is a tooth off. lol 😂!! But I just moved the plug wires around to compensate for the adjustments. It runs great now. The Pro Comp distributor I had in it only lasted 3,500 miles before taking a crap. Two days before Fordtakeover 23!!! Grrrrr 😂great video btw, thanks for what you do.
Vented, uniset points? On a carb car it doesn’t matter where you drop the distributor. #1 can be anywhere. You could have just moved the ignition wires backwards in the same firing order. I’m sure you know that. Fuel injected cars you have to be on the money when you drop it in. Also make sure the oil pump shaft doesn’t fall in. Don’t ask😅
Doesn't matter on a 5.0 fuelie either.
Every time I stab my dizzy in my fox I'm always a tooth off.. Lmao.. tfi module in the way to get the timing set at 11°..
Throughout my wrenching on old fords.. I’ve heard horror stories about “cam eating distributor gears” and using a “bronze”- harden distributor gear ..
Can you shed some light on this, and what to do to keep it from happening ?
Great video!
Completly true, My 93 GT was off by a tooth and ran fine. Runs better after I corrected, but ran fine other wise
What if you were a tooth off installing the distributor? The distributor gears teeth being a tooth off.
What happens if your distributor is a tooth off to the left or right?
Allot of people just talk out their azz and regurgitate wrong information, but hey so and so read it online so it must true
And you?
LOL
Sorry, just couldn't help it. 😆😆😆😆
The true old school, vacuum advance and the old points in a distributor. I believe the most of the points gap
were around .020. At least from what I remember. On the old stuff, really don't need to make things over complicated.
Match book will get your points close
Piece by piece.. a little closer..😎
Love that old Stang 🐎💪🙌🇺🇸💯
yea but a tooth off would make it impossible to change the modulator on a fox..sure you can pull the dizzy but why make sure its on the tooth..thats just me
You just loosen the distributor and turn it for clearance..... 😳
I have an 1986 mustang gt, motor is stock, I had no spark...Changed the plugs, wires, cap, rotor, coil, solenoid, TFI module and then the entire distributor. Now the car runs but has a very random miss. Any ideas would be mush appreciated.
Gonna have to get you a battery sponsor 😅😅
I use POR in place of seam sealer in the drip rails. Never cracks or looks shxtty like old sealer. 👍😎
gonna be a fun ride
What type of chassis saver do you use
a tooth off and dollar short.
Tooth off for EFI is a real issue
It’s not. As long as you have enough adjustment in the distributor
There is a neat way you can change the injector timing by going a tooth either way. The window for the PIP hall effect sensor bolted onto the distributor has a leading and trailing edge by which the EEC uses to time injection. You can make the injectors fire 40 deg off oem spec by playing with the drop in. Usually a larger cam loves the injectors firing sooner.
Ignition timing remains same.
You need to get sponsored from a battery company..alot of week batteries over the years.
Tooth off means you don’t have equal adjustment both directions for adjustment.
Do anybody know where to find side fenders for a notchback to be able to use a gt front bumper.
Please change that fuel filter. Those leak and will burn the car up.
💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚💚
I have a 92 blown LX with about 850 RWHP I need to sell. would you know anyone that would be interested? It's in excellent condition I bought it new in 92
The correct way is throw the whole pan in there over the old then run self tappers everybody knows that lol no need to cut and weld 😂
You just said your a tooth off! WTH can you be a tooth off or not? Most wishy-washy video I’ve seen all day. SMH
I think reactionary liars are a much bigger issue