How do you install a distributor on a 63 bug?

Answer 1

Don't loosen the small clamp before removing the old distributor! Make sure your engine is on Top Dead Center #1 (TDC). Easiest way to do that is to pull of the cap off of the distributer that is currently in the motor. Rotate the crankshaft until the "v" notch in the pulley is straight up, and lines up with where the 2 halves of the engine bolt together. Look at where the rotor is pointing in relation to the edge of the distributor (if there is a plastic cap under the rotor, take off the rotor and remove that plastic cover, then put the rotor back on (note the notch in the rotor...it only fits on the shaft one-and-only-one way. On the top edge of the distributor housing, there *should* be a small notch that indicates cylinder #1. Be sure to look for a small notch stamped in the top of the housing edge, not the large squared-off notch that positions the distributor cap in correct postion. If the rotor is lined up with the little notch, you are at TCD #1. If the rotor is pointing 180 degrees from the notch, rotate the engine 1 complete revolution, lining up the 'v' notch again, and your rotor should be pointing to the little notch in the distributor. Now, you can take the 13mm nut and washer off of the distributor bracket. Carefully twist back and forth and pull up on the whole distributor. Sometimes you need to very carefully get a flat screw driver and pry up underneath the distrib clamp and the engine case. Just be sure not to gouge anything. After you pull out the old distributor, take a look down the whole. Make sure that the little spring is down in the middle of the distributor drive. Sometimes it can come out and land in there sideways, which would be bad news if you stuck the new one in and didn't notice. Take a look at the sideways slot of the distributor drive down in the whole also. It matches up with the bottom of the distributor, but only goes one way. So you can only put it back together on way too, but it helps to see how it works...the slot is slightly off center, and so is the bottom part of the distributor. There is a rubber o-ring that must be replaced when you put in the new distributor. Don't use the old one, or it will most likely leak. I usually cut off the old o-ring next so that the clamp comes off easier. Loosen the clamp now, but take care to note the position of the clamp in relation to that little notch in the top of the distributors top-outer-edge. Try your best to line the clamp up the same way on the new distributor, and snug it down so it doesn't adjust and slip off alignment when putting in the new distributor. Finally, put on your new o-ring, and lube it up with some fresh oil so it isn't dry, and wipe out the whole with a rag and lube it up too with some fresh oil. Now, you can slide the new distributor back in. Be careful not to force the new o-ring too hard when it gets that far. Keep twisting back and forth and pushing down until the hold in the bracket is about to get to the stud that it bolts to. So you are now about 1/4 to 3/8 of an inch from being all the way in. Be sure now to put the new rotor on and have it point toward the notch in the distributor edge. This is the same way the old one came apart, right? Wiggle the rotor back and forth, and as you push down the final fractions of an inch. When that slot ligns up with the distributor drive, you will feel it slip down into place, and the bracket and distributor should be all the way down as far as they can go, and of course, the bracket is placed over the stud so it can be bolted back down. You shouldn't be able to turn the rotor much as it will be locked into the drive shaft when it is correctly in place. Put the nut and washer back on and tighten. You are going to have to make sure the point gap is correct while you have the cap off. Make sure that the plastic cover is on before you put the rotor back on. Then you can put the cap back on, and you should be set. There is a big notch in the cap that needs to fit with the notch in the distributor housing. Now you need to set your ignition timing. If you take the old distributor apart the way I described and were careful aligning the clamp right, it should be pretty close. Oh, and hey, don't take out the distributor drive ever. It has to be aligned correctly which can be a pain, so leave it all in there.