Installing distributor in long block Chevrolet 305 1987 engine?

Answer 1

Installing a distributor in a motor isn't tough if one thinks it through and works with some patience. Here's a generic recipe for most all motors. First, the motor should be at top dead center (tdc) in the number one cylinder. How do you know if it is or how can that be accomplished? Pull all the plugs so the engine can be turned over by hand. It's a pain and it's dangerous to bump the starter over and try to locate the tdc unless you're a mechanic. (Don't shortcut this. The people who take a shortcut fall into two categories: mechanics and fools.) With all the plugs out, turn (or get some help turning) the engine over (with the key "off") and hold a finger in the spark plug hole for number one cylinder while doing so. Just kinda stick it in there. You're not trying to block the hole completely; you're just looking for pressure. Remember that you're dealing with a 4-cycle engine. There are two upstrokes of the piston in one complete cycle, and only one of these leads to tdc on the compression stroke. (The other upstorke is the exhaust stroke and with the exhaust valve open, the upstorke won't result in your feeling any pressure with your finger in the plug hole.) What you're looking for with your finger is pressure in number one cylinder. Got it? As the engine is turned over, pressure will push air out of the spark plug hole past your finger. You're on the compression stroke now, right where you want to be. Now the hard part. Where is top dead center? Some folks use a piece of coat hanger to find it by sticking it in the plug hole and gently turning the engine one way or another to actually find the top. Use a piece of coat hanger about a foot long. It won't break off and fall in the cylinder like a stick or pencil will. You been warned, ait? You've found tdc. Now to make the distributor point to number one. Grab your distributor and take off the cap. Make sure you know absolutely where number one wire goes on the cap, because you'll need this information. Double check your findings to be sure. You're going to be installing the distributor with the cap off, but you need to line it up first. Look at the rotor and turn it to orient it so it points to where number one plug wire would be plugged into the cap. It's important to get this right. The engine is at tdc on number one's compression stroke, and the rotor in the distributor must be pointing to number one's plug wire connection on the distributor cap. Make sense? Think this through and it'll lock in. After finding the direction the rotor must point to be lined up on number one, put some tape there and mark with a marker to identify it fairly accurately. This way you can work with the cap off and look directly at the rotor to get it right. You'll need to. With an indexed distributor shaft drive, there is an offset slot into which the shaft of the distributor fits and it can only be put in one way. With the old gear type, a guy wrenching the thing might have to pull the distributor half way out and slip it back in to move it over a tooth on the gear. When properly installed, the distributor rotor will be pointing to where number one plug wire is on the cap. Number one piston is at tdc and in the firing position, and the distributor will be ready to fire it. Work safely at all times. Thinking things through and the application of a bit of patience is the key to success. Take a break and have a cup of coffee or a soda as needed to recover calm and think the project through. Save the beer for after the job is done. As always, good luck.