[Sea-J]

Has anyone installed a new distributor on a 5S FE? I pulled the old one out, did an ohm test and found out that it was bad. Ordered a new one. How do you know if the new one is installed correctly? The factory manual goes through the entire procedure of getting to tdc by pulling half the right side of the motor apart. The engine was not turned since pulling the dizzy so I should be able to put the new one back in. Problem for me is there's a 50-50 chance of getting it backwards. Timing would be 180 deg off? What's going to happen? It's either going to start or not. Would anything be damaged if off 180 deg. There has to be a trick for this.
TKS

 

[Sea-J]

Never mind
Dumb question after looking at the dizzy business ends. Mia Culpa.

 

[sefiro]

Use the crank shaft harmonic balancer tdc mark to set to number 1 cylinder. Match the distributor to it and install.

 

[Sea-J]

Got it. tks.
New one should be in the mailbox Monday.
Hope this issue is the final step in the process of getting the franken to run. The only thing left is replacement of the timing belt if it needs it.

 

[Sea-J]

Got it. tks.
New one should be in the mailbox Monday.
Hope this issue is the final step in the process of getting the franken to run. The only thing left is replacement of the timing belt if it needs it.

Post office screwed up. sent the dizzy back to the seller. Now waiting until next week.
For the life of me I cannot find the notch on the balancer. wire brushed, scraped, ran my fingers completely around the wheel and just not there. Easy to find the timing marks on the block. PO did put a 3S FE lower half on the bottom and put the 5S FE original upper. Any suggestions. I could turn the motor over to top dead center compression but don't want to do that with the dizzy out and not having a notch. Any other way to check timing once the new dist. is in?

 

[sefiro]

pop the valve cover off, pull number 1 spark plug. Do a couple of manual turns of the crank while watching the cam/valve movement. Look for the positioning of the cams for when a cylinder is on compression (valves closed). Insert long metal rod into plug hole. Rotate crank until rod is at highest point and valves closed - TDC.

 

[Sea-J]

OK on timing. I put in the new dizzy, install was easy, only goes in one way. Timing is off. She fires but does so when the intake valves are open, smoke comes out the throttle body when she fires. I adjusted the dizzy to both extremes on the adjustment with same result. Would it be safe to assume the timing belt skipped a tooth ? I did not have to force the new dist into place. One of two options. Turn the dist 180 deg but then it would have to be somewhat forced or just remove the right side stuff from the motor and check/replace the timing belt and be done with it.
Opinions??

 

[sefiro]

All plugs in, manually turn the crank. If no resistance at 90deg points, then yes, timing has jumped.

Oops, EDIT, I meant 180deg. (4 cyl is 180, 8 cyl is 90, 6 cyl is 120)