Distributor

[laserfish]

A few years back I put in a new long block because of freeze damage. It ran after that just not well...extremely rich. Only had it out a couple of times since because it ran so poorly and we were building a house at the lake. Fast forward, my daughter, son in law and their 5 kids all in the Navy have moved back stateside and are coming to visit so I need to get to work on the boat. Replaced the fuel pump and regulator (thanks boatwakes), and it ran better. After doing the tune up put on the new cap and plugs, wires and it ran worse. I have always suspected I did not stab the distributor correctly and suspect it was off a good bit. What I have done: 1. Top dead center on firing stroke. the line is dead center on the notch. 2. Moved the distributor body around where the notch in the distributor body, the sensor and the rotor are all lined up and pointing to number one.
The problem is when I put on the OEM distributor cap with the tab on the cap in the notch on the dist body, the number one tower points directly to the port side. HELP me. This may be correct, but it does not look like it. What am I doing wrong?
All ideas will be appreciated. I have pics if needed.
2000 21v

[laserfish]

After the tune up I took it out and got 11 mph and couging out the intake. Hooked up the timing light and could not even see the line. This fueled my suspicion it is and improperly set up distributor.

[h2o-ski]

Coughing out the intake usually is a sign of to far advanced. I was having trouble seeing the timing mark on my balancer so I sanded down the mark and then used white nail polish (it's what I could find) to paint the timing mark. After I did that I found that I was 2 degrees advanced past TDC.

Also what notch on the body are you talking about? Normally you line the rotor to point to number 1 and can move the body around to suite the application.

[gumby]

If you are timing.You first you must find TOP DEAD CENTER.on #1 It must be a the compression stroke of #1 Just because the TDC line on the Balancer lined up on the pin doesn't make it TDC. Again it must be the compression stroke. follow these instructions.
1 Remove number one plug
2 Remove cap from the distributor
3 Place your finger over the number one spark plug hole
4 Have a friend BUMP the engine over till you start compression on number one
5 Turn the engine the rest of the way by hand to TDC and line the balancer mark up with the pin
This is now true TDC now do this.
1 Look on the inside of the distributor cap at the pin of number one place a screwdriver or some thing long to get a mark on the OUTSIDE of the cap for its location.
2 Place the cap back on the distributor and transfer your Mark to the distributor housing.(Not necessary to bolt it down just place it correctly)
3 Remove the cap again the rotor button should be pointed at this Mark you just made on the distributor housing.
If it isn't pointing at your mark you must clock the the distributor till it is. This is true TDC. DONT forget to tighten it down a little so it can't move easily
Once you are confident that you have the ENGINE and DISTRIBUTOR on TRUE TDC do this.
1 Put the #1 spark plug back in and the wire on it
2 Bolt the distributor cap back on
3 UNPLUG the timing advance plug. This MUST be unplugged to set the timing !!!!
4 Attach your timing light
5 Start the boat
6 Loosen the distributor housing bolt and set your BASE timing
7 Retighten your distributor housing bolt. make sure your timing is still on the mark after tight.
8 Plug your computer advance plug back in things should Smooth out.
now your Timing is set
Good luck. It Is a process I know, but will work every time if you follow exactly and don't skip steps. should take 10 min depending on how well you understand what you are doing.

[gumby]

laserfish This is Timing 101. This process will work with ANY Engine with a distributor. Advancement there Are differences. but if it has a distributor Ford, Chevy, Doge ,Honda, Toyota with the exception of Mazda rotary. but even then it is kinda the same. So pretty much anything with a distributor.This Will Work. I would post a pic of your timing advance looks like, but I can't post pics.

[boatwakes]

For point of reference, and I just replied to his PM, I replied with the following:

If you're absolutely sure it's firing on TDC #1 (meaning you rotated the engine and watched the intake valve close immediately before the timing mark aligned with the timing cover pointer, or you disconnected the 12v power wire to the coil, removed the #1 spark plug rotated the engine with the starter and by ear, heard the open cylinder in the rotation for several rotations and then let off the key just prior to the high spot you hear and then aligned the timing marks) then you are ready to set the rotor POINTING AT THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP WHERE THE NUMBER ONE SPARK PLUG WIRE IS LOCATED. I say that because pointing the rotor at the #1 SPARK PLUG is just a point of reference and not always where the #1 spark plug WIRE is located (i.e. the rotor can point at the transmission for TDC firing #1 as long as the #1 spark plug WIRE is located there on the distributor cap). Also, note the distributor cap on the Mercruiser Thunderbolts is indexed with a notch. BE SURE TO INSTALL THE DISTRIBUTOR CAP NOTCH WITH THE DISTRIBUTOR NOTCH OR YOU'LL HAVE A BAD TIME. Once you've got that sorted, firing order is 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 clockwise as you look down on the distributor. Re-install the 12v power wire to the coil and start and time the engine. EFI engines need to be timed, with the engine in base timing mode, at 8* before top dead center and carbureted engines at 10*. Report back.

[gumby]

Thank you boatwakes I didn't think to make it clear that the rotor should point at #1 on the cap not cylinder #1.
# 1 on the cap is where the plug wire that goes to the #1 plug you pulled. Mark the pin location from the inside on the outside of the cap then transfer that to mark to the distributor housing. The ROTOR should point at the mark you made on the distributor housing.
I am not sure how to communicate how to clock a small chevy distributor housing. Depending on the length of the wires (going to the pickup) and how far out you are you may need to do this. Clocking the Distributor Housing..... I guess it is a series of putting the DH in and out until the oil pump shaft seats and the rotor button is pointing at your mark.

[gumby]

I also forgot disconnect the 12 v to the coil just so you don't get a good JOLT. LOL also I like the finger over the spark plug hole method.. bump....bump.......bump NOT CRANK just short bumps when you start getting compression bump till your mark is close (because you are watching it) then turn by manual get it exactly on the mark.

[boatwakes]

You can loosen the distributor hold down clamp at the base of the intake manifold and spin the distributor independent of the rotor so you can have the distributor in any orientation you want and then plug in the spark plug wires from there. You do not have to use the numbers stamped into the cap, they're not required to do this operation correctly.