73 240z won’t start. Have spark

[Shawninvancouver]

Ya. I posted a bad photo as I never took one when both lobes were up. We specifically looked to make sure they’re both up like rabbit ears. There were two of us standing there, and we both looked at them and they were both up as high as they could go, we also looked inside spark plug hole number one to see if the piston was up and it was so I was assuming that was as much as we could see for to be at tdc.  Is that not the only two things we were looking for cam lobes one and two up as high as can go and the piston to be up and then tdc???

[Zed Head]

16 hours ago, Zed Head said:

They look up, so you're on compression stroke. but which spark plug electrode is the distributor rotor pointing at when you are at TDC on #1, and are the points close to opening, either about to open, open, or just closed.

You need to get those three things happening at the same time so that spark will be correct for all of the cylinders as the engine turns.  Compression stroke on #1, distributor rotor pointing at #1 electrode in the cap, points opening.  

 

5 hours ago, Shawninvancouver said:

Ok zed.  Well explained. Thanks for being pacient with me.

 

27 minutes ago, Shawninvancouver said:

.  Is that not the only two things we were looking for cam lobes one and two up as high as can go and the piston to be up and then tdc???

 

This like the Adam Sandler movie "50 First Dates".   Each day is like the one before never occurred.

You have one of the three.  Do the other two.

 

Side note - I finally discovered how to do a multiquote from multiple pages. 

 

[Shawninvancouver]

Ok. But no one every answered - what if the rotor is pointing between two plugs ?

[Zed Head]

I don't think that the points will open with the rotor between electrodes, if the parts are put together correctly.

This is why all three things need to be done at the same time.  If the rotor is between plugs it means that you need to rotate the distributor body.

 

I don't think that you actually asked the question about the rotor between plugs.  Which might be why no one answered.

[Shawninvancouver]

Does it matter which one you rotate it to ??

[240dkw]

No, pick the one that allows you  to make adjustments in both directions and call that one #1 cly

[Shawninvancouver]

Ok. And once that is set go back to points and adjust them so they are just starting to open as the rotator gets to that plug it’s pointing to ?!

[Zed Head]

Set the points gap by getting the points rubbing pad on the peak of one of the distributor cam lobes and setting the gap.  Once the points gap is set it does not need to be touched again.  You can rotate the engine and the distributor body wherever you want and the points gap will not need to be reset.

Then find out where the rotor is pointing with the #1 piston at TDC, compression, +/- 0 to 10 degrees (use the timing mark on the damper pulley).

Then set your #1 plug wire at whichever cap terminal the rotor is pointing at.  It should be ready to start.

If you get all of that done but cannnot use the screw in the pedestal to lock the distributor body down then you'll need to reset the oil pump.  But you need to find out where the rotor points at TDC, +/- 0 to 10 degrees, advanced first.

 

Setting points gap.  Start at 1:00.

https://youtu.be/BC3nmuXdEuI?feature=shared&t=61

 

Edited May 18 by Zed Head

[siteunseen]

Reminds me of a Rubik's cube, remember what doesn't work then you get it figured out. Pet rock not so much.

 

[Shawninvancouver]

Ahh next time I have time to mess around with this thing hopefully in the next few days, I will rotate the distributor so the rotator is pointing directly at one plug, and that will be number one. I think I never had the rotator pointing directly at one plug, I will try that then I’ll figure that I’ll make sure the points are opening at that point in time and that should be.

[Zed Head]

Watch this from about minute 10:00.

 

[Shawninvancouver]

Cool video.  Thats shows it very clear.  I hope I can pull this off.   I’m hoping the distributor just needed to be adjusted.  Never even trying moving it all last time trying to start the car.