Where the heck is the #1 Spark Plug wire supposed to be on the Distributor?

[73 240Z Man]

Fellas....

I am trying to adjust the timing on my Z. :mad: I think the distributor is off a gear, but before I remove the Oil Pump I want to make sure where the # 1 Cylinder is suppose do be on the distributor. Right now, It is around 8:00 looking from the drivers fender when 1# is @ TDC on compression.

PLEASE HELP. Send pics if possible... I can't quite get enough timing into it as it is now... I am working on it now, so quick (and accurate) replies would be greatly appreciated

Chris

[Pomorza]

TDC of the dizzy looks like this

http://i138.photobucket.com/albums/q251/datzenmike/L%20Z%20Heads%20and%20Motors/motordistributortiming.jpg

Motor looks like this

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQqmWj9GKsGFZqTdRksl-3KHSatSiPrYU5jrmQ5zem6zLIz8EmojDtLT_qc

Once you have both lined up the dizzy only goes in one way and this should be tdc of the #1 piston. One its in there start the car and adjust the dizzy until your timing is right (~12 degrees at idle)

Jan

Edited September 22, 2012 by Pomorza

[siteunseen]

A little late but on my '77 the rotor button points at the left side clip for the cap for #1. It's a little above the vacuum advance. There is also a vertical line on the left side of my cap that is supposedly #1, right around that clip too. Just found this http://atlanticz.ca/zclub/techtips/timing/mechtime.html so it looks like mines wrong and yours is right but mine is running like a scolded dog and yours isn't. But my oil pump spindle is at 11:25 like Pomorza'a picture instead of 11:30.

Edited September 22, 2012 by siteunseen

[240260280z]

[e-tek]

Great info - should be a schtiky!

[73 240Z Man]

I think my distributor is off a tooth.. I adjusted the timing all the way clockwise and it barely starts and has no low end... it screams at high rpms though.... any ideas?

Also, does any1 have any idea how much difference one tooth makes?

Edited September 22, 2012 by 73 240Z Man
stupid smart text

[jfa.series1]

There are no teeth or gears in the dizzy set-up, only an offset slotted shaft to mate with the oil pump shaft. So, a deeper inspection might help: have you had the oil pump off or the timing chain? If the timing chain, you might be off a tooth there, whch gets transferred to the oil pump and then the dizzy. If only the oil pump, it must be reinstalled with the engine at TDC to get the correct shaft positioning. All is covered in the FSM. Some futher disclosure of any other work you have done might be a big help in getting you thru this.

[Zed Head]

Fellas....

I can't quite get enough timing into it as it is now...

Chris

Have you measured the timing with a light? What is the number?

[Carl Beck]

There are no teeth or gears in the dizzy set-up, only an offset slotted shaft to mate with the oil pump shaft.

But just to be clear. Under that off-set slotted mount - On the shaft that runs between the oil pump and distributor. There is a GEAR on that shaft that drives both the distributor and oil pump.

So in effect, with the engine set at TDC on the compression stroke - you have to set the distributor off-set interface or keyway - to the position it is supposed to be in {11 & 5 O'clock} - - then install the oil pump on that drive shaft - without letting the drive shaft slip out and turn. Because it doesn't matter how the oil pump is turned when installed on the shaft at the bottom - just don't let the drive shaft turn out of position - as you install the oil pump.

In this case it really helps to have someone on top holding everything in place, as you install the oil pump.

hope that's not to confusing...

[Jeff G 78]

This is an interesting question because the (as far as I know) stock 74.5 distributor that came in my 260 had the same orientation as the original poster's. I thought the shaft was off a tooth, but when I pulled the distributor, the shaft was indeed in the right orientation. Rather than move the shaft, I reoriented the wires one step counterclockwise from the conventional position and all was fine. I then bought a 280ZX distributor and compared them side by side. Sure enough, my 260 distributor was different than the ZX or any other I've had. The distributor rotor and drive slot are locked into position via a pin, so nothing had moved or slipped. The distributor was simply different. I have never seen this before and I've never read about the issue before.

It's *possible* that Chris' dizzy is off like my 74.5 dizzy. Chris, can you take a picture of the oil pump shaft when the distributor is pulled at #1 per Blue's picture?

EDIT: My post might have been a bit confusing. When I got my 260, it was a basket case and did not run. I tore the engine down and replaced the plug wires and cap per the normal orientation. That's when I found the same issue as the OP and when I moved the wires to make it run.

Edited September 22, 2012 by Jeff G 78
Added info

[siteunseen]

Wouldn't putting #1 wire a step counterclockwise put it at 6 o'clock? I was thinking you would want it at 9 o'clock like Blue's picture. But Jeff's forgotten more than I'll ever learn about these motors. So maybe backing up 1 step would retard the ignition timing allowing him to come off full advance at the adjustment screw on distributor base. Then he could turn it clockwise more, more advance.

Edited September 23, 2012 by siteunseen

[Jeff G 78]

Wouldn't putting #1 wire a step counterclockwise put it at 6 o'clock? I was thinking you would want it at 9 o'clock like Blue's picture. But Jeff's forgotten more than I'll ever learn about these motors. So maybe backing up 1 step would retard the ignition timing allowing him to come off full advance at the adjustment screw on distributor base. Then he could turn it clockwise more, more advance.

http://www.classiczcars.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=56562&d=1348322302&thumb=1

Siteunseen - No, it would put #1 at ~7 o'clock. If you look at Blue's distributor pic, when my engine should be firing #1, the dizzy is pointing where #5 is shown in Blue's pic. From what I can tell, that's the same position as the OP's. I'm not saying we have the same issue, but it is a possibility, I guess. Most likely, his shaft is rotated, but if not, it could be like mine was with the L26 dizzy.

Has ANYONE seen a dizzy orientation like mine? Like I said in the other post, the oil pump shaft orientation is correct. The dizzy itself is off. Wierd...