Ok, I buy a Petronix ignition for my '68 2892V.......15 minute job, right?

One of the screws holding vacuum advance snaps off instantly........can't get it out....end up breaking distributor housing...........

Purchased new distributor.....no core exchange due to damage.

Can't find nuts to fit on coil posts to hold new ignition wires.......no luck at Autozone or Home Depot......finally find some that almost fit at Advance.....ease them onto the posts successfully........can't get distributor to seat on oil pump shaft..........remove nuts and wires from coil and pull distributor out......reinsert and get it seated........reattach wires to coil......first nut runs all the way down easily.......SLOWLY tighten the other until snug......apply a SMALL amount of pressure to seat.......snap off post on coil.

Purchased new coil.

Fortunately NEW coil came with nuts already attached that fit.

Installed everything.

Car won't crank.

I'm sure the distributor shaft needs to be rotated, but will not remove distributor again tonight or I may torch the car and my home to the ground in anger.

Fifteen minute job my A$$!!!!

Thank you for your time, carry-on.

 

Ahhhh, sounds EXACTLY like my install about 12 years ago. Same problems, same result. Younger age, clsoer to torching it also. Now just wait until it lasts only 6 months.

 

Oh my God, don't say that................


Anyone got any tips on getting this new distributor in the right postion to crank the car? (IF that is what the problem is!)

 

I hate when things go wrong. A simple sea foam job for me has turned into a broken purge valve and 30 dollars on my sisters focus.

I had trouble re-stabbing the distributor getting it to go all the way down was hard enough then it wasn't even in the right position!



You would probably be best removing spark plug #1 and finding top dead center (TDC). Hand crank until pressure pushes your finger out. Then install the distrib with the rotor pointing at #1 on your cap and or manifold. Make sure you have your firing order correct also.

Then your going to want to check your timing if the car starts.

 

ya. the ignition module in original distributor is a 15min swap. changing the whole distributor is a totally different story.
what you should have done is to turn the engine manually so that the rotor points exactl;y to number 1 spark plug post. then set up the new distributor the same way. it's the only way to be sure that it will fire up at least (even with timing being all off)

well what you have to do now is what nba1341 said.

the easiest option here is:
- take out #1 spark plug (front left if looking at engine from front)
- take a rug and use it to block the spark plug hole. don't shove the rug into cylinder, just use it to seal the hole. snug.
- disconnect the red wire on coil (coil+). the one that has 12V when ignition is on.
- crank the engine (you can use key and starter) until the rug pops out. it does make a popping noise. it takes no more than 2 full turns of engine. stop cranking as soon as the rub flies out of there
- now turn the engine manually so you match the timing mark TDC. it should be very close.
- turn the distributor so that the rotor points straight to #1 post. you might have to reseat the distributor, or you might have to change the spark plugs on top of cap to match. they have to be in firing order anticlockwise. write it up starting at #1 going anticlockwise
- replace spark plug, replace the coil+ wire and try again ...
make sure the distributor is fully seated (if it's properly engaged in cam gear and pump the distributor will go fully down)

Kalli

 

Oh boy, THIS sounds like fun.....................not.


Thanks for the info guys!!



BTW - what's a "rug"...........you mean a "rag"?

 

I think a rub, rug is a rag or tissue, LOL

It's not as bad as it sounds. You can use a wooden stick in the hole and wait for the piston to push it's way up and if you look at your timing marks on the damper you should see 0° when you are at Top Dead Center.

Mark the housing where your No. 1 plug wire would be and with the cap removed
take the distributor and insert it. Remember the rotor will want to spin counter clockwise as it slips down meshing the gear and then dropping down into the oil pump shaft, so you will have to start with it back clockwise a bit.

It is a nerve racking task, but as long as you can ballpark it with the vacuum canister facing forward you will have wiggle room to time it.
This is a Chevy, but the process is similar.

 

sorry rag. a piece of cloth .. non-native speaker here :-)

i should make a video for fords ...

scootchu: it's not good enough to know if the piston is coming up or at top. you need to make sure it's with both valves closed (end of compression, not at end of exhaust out)

Falcopilot ... it's not as bad as it sounds. but i just had another idea which is way easier if you are on your own (the happy go lucky method if you don't have a rag :-) )

0. make sure you know your firing order. check from the top of cap starting with #1, go anti clockwise and write down in order where the leads will lead to.
It's either
1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8
or
1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8


1. turn the engine manually so you have TDC (the TDC 0 degree mark lines up on balancer/timing mark)
2. remove distributor cap
3. look where the rotor is pointing to
4. turn the distributor in such a way that the rotor is pointing exactly to a terminal when you would put the cap back on
5. put the cap back on and put the spark plug wire leading to #1 cylinder there
6. proceed anticlockwise in firing order. so the next terminal on the cap anticlockwise points to the next cylinder in your firing order
7. start engine (try). try as well with the distributor turned a bit advanced and a bit retarded. but leave roughly where you had it (remember so you can come back to that setting)
three options:
- car runs->adjust your timing
- car doesn't react to it at all (it's just going whopwhopwhop): try with the distributor turned a bit anticlockwise as well as clockwise. no change whatsoever->check wiring
- the car misfires badly: exchange the 8 spark plug leads on top of distributor with their exact opposite cable on the cap. I mean pull #1 and swap it on top the cap (no other changes) with the exact opposite on the cap (the furthest away one).
do this 4 times altogether so all 8 are swapped. when done you should have the same firing order just that #1 spark lead is on exact opposite side of cap. try again ... (if it doesn't work try again with a bit forward and backward turning on distributor)

 

OK, here's where you Effed up.

There was no need to remove the vacuum advance. None whatsoever.

•Remove distributor cap.
•Remove point screws.
•Remove condenser screw.
•Disconnect lead wire from coil.
•Remove lead wire, points, and condenser as one piece.

•Install Pertronix module, with screws not too tight.
•Install sensor ring on distributor shaft.
•Set gap between ring and module with included tool.
•Thread wiring through distributor housing and connect to coil.
•Install distributor cap.

•Drive car.

Dunno why you tried to remove the vacuum advance.

 

Sorry Kalli, I meant to say in addition to what you said about the compression stroke. I just put my finger in the plug hole and feel the compression stroke while hand cranking the engine and then feel for the piston coming up with something like a chop stick.