help with timing 350 chevy?

Question

i was about to set the timing on my 350 when my buddy started going on saying u can set number one any were u like almost and some ways make it run better or start better than factory... my inititual idea was to bring tdc up and set distributor in with the metal rotor button striker facing #1 on the cap which i thought should be in the 5:30 position on the cap cause of its a hei distributor electronic ignion system. the other kind starts at 6:30 but mine is hei and u wire it from there clock wise 18436572. is this right??? cause im getting so many consumptions now that they try to say tthey can set number one in many places on the cap and it will run bettter..... i just want it to run but firing up fast and running smooth is necasary and i want to make sure my way even will work before i try. if u need to ask the model year and crap then u wont have my answer cause they didnt change much with all 350 hei ignition systems so im leaving as much detail out as possible cause i dont want any one to (search it) i want positive answers from guys with experience only.

Answer 1

I an not sure exactly what you are asking (you jump around quite a bit), but I will try and answer based on what you wrote.



1) While it is true that it doesn't really matter where you put the #1 wire IF you adjust the distributor and wire the firing order correctly, there isn't any benefit to how the car will start or run. The only benefit you *might* have is a larger rotation of the distributor (which isn't really necessary).



2) Yes, the firing order for a V-8 Chevrolet is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. And Yes, the rotor spins 'Clockwise'.



What you haven't taken into consideration is that the distributor drives the oil pump. If you look under the distributor drive gear, you will see the drive mechanism for the oil pump. Frankly, I can't recall what the Chevy motors use (I think it is a slot, but could be a hex, etc...). If you try and reposition your distributor, you will need to reposition the oil pump 'receiver' before you install the distributor. Most times it can be done with a long flat head screwdriver while the distributor is out.



Personally, I'd suggest leaving it the #1 around the 6 O'clock position. That is the way it came from the factory, and you aren't going to gain anything by moving it. If anything you are only going to cause confusion later on when someone else is working on the car.



-Ken

Answer 2

Depending where the distributor gear enters the camshaft, number one plug wire COULD be in any one of the eight positions on the cap. Normally, do to the length of the stock ignition wires the #1. plug wire enters the cap at the five o'clock position.



If you don't feel comfortable following these instructions, have a mechanic do it for you.



The secret of a well tuned up HEI Distributor is by bumping the starter so the rotor points to #1. plug wire terminal without the cap being on. Remove the distributor from the engine. Removing the roll pin on the distributor gear. Check the gear for wear. Wiggle the distributor shaft side to side to check bushing wear. Remove the cap and rotor and install Moroso weights and the softest spring set. Make darn sure the top bracket and "C" clips are installed in the same position as the original one! Buy a Moroso distributor shaft shim kit so you will have exactly .017 clearance between the distributor gear and the housing when the roll pin is back in-place.



*You absolutely must know the exact diameter of your harmonic balancer so you can order a stick-on *timing tape from MSD! You will need to remove the lower belt pulleys to get this measurement with a tape measure. The outside of the balancer must be clean and dry so the timing tape will stick on and stay there. The zero mark on the tape must line up with the top dead center mark on the dampener pulley, Be careful to wrap the tape clockwise around the outside if the dampener.



*Drop the distributor back in through the intake manifold so the tang of the rotor points at between the *three and *four o'clock position and the vacuum advance canister is pointing is the *original position.. You will notice the distributor will not drop all the way down to the intake manifold.This is because the distributor shaft has not entered the oil pump shaft yet. Bump the starter a couple if times and it will drip all the way down. Snug the distributor hold down clamp and snap in the tachometer and power leads to the distributor. You are now ready to start the motor.



Please follow these instructions for timing the engine because they are different than what you are used to! Hook up your inductive timing light to #1 spark plug wire. With the engine running move the throttle so the engine revs up to 3,500 RPM. The *zero mark on the timing tab that's bolted on the side of the timing chain cover should point to 34 degrees on the timing tape.



You're all done as soon as the distributor hold down bolt has been tightened-up! If you hear any pre-ignition ping as you drive the vehicle do one of two things. Install the next stiffer distributor weight *springs or set the timing back to 32 degrees.



Think about a complete distributor swap-out for a DUI brand MSD distributor. It has a hotter coil and a souped-up electric module inside. They are a great replacement from our past experience on 350, 358 360 and 383 small block Chevrolet engines. Call them (Davis Unified Ignition) and be prepared to tell them everything about your motor, weight of the vehicle, transmission type, rear-end gear ratio and if you've changed the torque converter.

Answer 3

Distributor → Coil in the cap

There should be a plastic ring which is snapped onto the coil. Unclip to lift off with all the spark plug wires attached. Stamped on the ring is the corresponding cylinder numbers. To the left of the plug is #1 cyl.



1. Remove #1 spark plug → driver's side front

2. Attach a remote starter button to the starter motor

3. Place your finger in spark plug hole

4. Bump the engine over until you fell the compression

5.Turn the engine over by hand until you line up the timing marks to TDC. On some models the pointer is behind the water pump.

6. Arrange the spark plug wires on the plastic ring in accordance to the stamped numbers

If the rotor is not pointing at #1 spark plug wire, then loosen the clamp at he base of the distributor & slide the clamp back(do not have to remove)

7. Lift out the distributor

8. Insert the distributor so it's in line with #2 spark plug wire. This is because the rotor rotates clockwise.

9. Apply a little downward pressure to the distributor housing

10. Bump the engine over until it drops into the oil pump

11. Slide the clamp over the base, but do not tighten

12. Bump the engine over to TDC

13. Note the position of the rotor. Should be pointing @ #1 spark plug wire

14. If OK then install the cap & wires → Firing order 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 Rotor turns Clockwise

15. Remove the vacuum line to the vacuum advance & plug(if you are working with a remote coil distributor(small cap), then disconnect the black wire with the orange stripe.

16. Start engine, allow to warm, & come to a low idle (approx 700 RPM)

17. Set timing to specs (in most cases 8° BTDC)

18. Tighten clamp

19. Install vacuum line or black/orange wire



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Answer 4

The procedure here on GM engines with mechanical distributor is to crank the engine gentle until you have piston number one (located on the front right / spark plug removed) on the optimum higher limit and the way to test this is by sticking a small screw driver to help you sense when that piston is all the way up. Now, with the distributor cap removed observe if the brush metal tip is pointing close enough to the wire connected to spark plug #1 connector on top of the cap. If is out, then you must remove the whole distributor rotate it accordingly and re install as many times you need until you can accomplish the brush pointing to #1 wire. Once you meet this goal, re install the distributor cap and the spark plug you removed from #1, have somebody cranking or if you have no helper, using a crank switch connected to the electric starter with the key turned to ON position, crank the engine moving slowly and gentle that distributor clock wise and if you can't start it, then repeat the procedure moving it the opposite (counter clock wise). If the timing chain have no issues, you have fuel and spark this engine must be able to start. Once it's starts, rotate the distributor gentle and accordingly until you can get the engine to run smooth and at pick RPM. You can use the help of a timing light to have the engine running into the final specification timing degree. Good luck...!

Answer 5

Its sort of hard to read your question but I think you are asking if it matters which post on the distributor #1 is. If this is the old big coil in cap HEI the system does not know or care which terminal is number 1. As long as you have them in the correct firing order in the correct direction and you have the rotor pointing at the terminal #1 is attached to when #1 is TDC on the compression stroke it will run fine. Remember #1 is at TDC 2x for every single rotation of the distributor so you may have to remove a spark plug and determine which is the exhaust stroke and which is the compression stroke. The compression stroke you will feel air pushing out as the piston comes up and the timing marks align. This is when you want the rotor pointing at the terminal the #1 wire is attached to.

Answer 6

i see you have a V8 and probably HEI ignition so get number 1 piston all the way up, turn the crank with your hands until it reads 0 top dead center on the timing scale, turn the rotor to where it fires on number 1 plug wire on the cap, turn the distributor to where the plug-ins will hook up for the coil and ignition, set the distributor down in. if it won,t go down all the way pull it back out and use a long screwdriver and turn the oil pump. after it,s all the way down hook up the plug-ins going to the cap and put the hold down bolt back in but don,t tighten it all the way.mark the degree on the timing scale and mark the line on the damper. hook up a timing light to it, start it and let it idle. aim the light down to the crank. turn the distributor until the line on the damper lines up with the right degree on the scale then tighten the hold down bolt. recheck it to make sure the timing did,nt move.

Answer 7

Nobody has mentioned that the rotor fits the shaft only one way. And that valve timing syncs with where the rotor is. Which for #1 is 5:30 if the dist. is installed correctly. Otherwise the spark will be in a cylinder that is in who knows what part of its stroke.

However, with Mallorys Unilite distributors which are fully adjustable, you can put #1 anywhere AND have it sync with valves.

Answer 8

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