Distributor 1964 placement

[Tbird64]

Had to take the distributor out and do some things with it now it won’t go back in. Any tips on how to put it back in so I don’t mess anything up

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[fordrodsteven]

When you took it out did you mark where the rotor was pointing or line it up to #1 before removing it? It needs to go back in the same place. At the bottom of the distributor there is either a female hex or a slot. It is where the oil pump shaft slides in. That hex / slot needs to be lined up as you drop the distributor in. Did you rotate the engine at all after the distributor was out? Hopefully you didn't! If you moved the engine you will have to line it up to #1 cylinder and look down in the hole to see the orientation of the oil pump shaft and get it so that it will slip into the drive slot/hex at the bottom of the distributor as you lower it down into position. You also need to start with the rotor a little out of location (about one plug location) so that as you slide it down in you can twist the rotor to get it all the way down and engaged properly into the helical gear on the distributor shaft.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

When you took it out did you mark where the rotor was pointing or line it up to #1 before removing it? It needs to go back in the same place. At the bottom of the distributor there is either a female hex or a slot. It is where the oil pump shaft slides in. That hex / slot needs to be lined up as you drop the distributor in. Did you rotate the engine at all after the distributor was out? Hopefully you didn't! If you moved the engine you will have to line it up to #1 cylinder and look down in the hole to see the orientation of the oil pump shaft and get it so that it will slip into the drive slot/hex at the bottom of the distributor as you lower it down into position. You also need to start with the rotor a little out of location (about one plug location) so that as you slide it down in you can twist the rotor to get it all the way down and engaged properly into the helical gear on the distributor shaft.

This I completely agree with! Do not rotate the engine with the distributor out or you will have to turn the engine by hand or bump it with the starter until it lines up again with #1 cylinder. Also the oil pump pick up shaft will almost never line up with the Distributor after you remove it. You will have to take something and rotate the oil pump pickup shaft then try and align with with the distributor as you get it to slot back in with the teeth on the cam gear. If you have to remove the distributor be very careful as the oil pump pick up will sometime get stuck in the hex slot in the distributor and come out with it.

DO NOT LET THE OIL PUMP PICKUP DROP! Otherwise you will have to either drop the oil pan or hope you can fish it out with a magnet. Finally hope the small slide on ring around the oil pump pickup didn't slide off and fall into your oil pan either. You defiantly do not want that tumbling around when your engine is running. I am not sure how it is on the 390 engine, but I have already removed the distributor on my 460 in my 69 bird and the oil pump shaft too came out with the distributor. Shaft is 11/32 in size so I used a nut driver to reach down into the distributor hole. Down there should be a boss cast into the engine where the distributor sits. There is a hole where the oil pump pickup comes through and its on a slight angle. Well it was on the 460. Again not sure about the 390. Hopefully this helps.

 

[Tbird64]

Unfortunately I did rotate the engine. Do you have to make sure cylinder one is a TDC?

 

[OneAmongOthers]

Unfortunately I did rotate the engine. Do you have to make sure cylinder one is a TDC?

An absolute must. No other way or you could cause damage to your engine. However finding TDC on cylinder one is pretty easy.

Pull the plug out of cylinder one and turn the engine either by bumping it with the starter or by hand. Put your finger or thumb over cylinder one plug hole and keep turning the engine until it blows your finger out. That's the top of the compression stroke for cylinder one. It's either that or get a bore sight camera and stick it into the plug hold and wait till the piston head just about reaches the top. It may take a few time watching the piston going up and down until you know when to stop it. the above picture gives you the cylinder and distributor arrangement.

Also pay attention to the timing marks on the balancer! There is a compression stroke for combustion and then one to expel the exhaust. I believe you want to be at the top of the combustion stroke, not the exhaust one. You want the balancer timing marks to line up on TDC or zero. Whatever it shows on your balancer. I am not sure what the 390 has. Is it internally balanced or externally? My 460 is internally with the timing marks on the harmonic pulley. Hope this helps.

 

[OneAmongOthers]

Also make sure your ignition is not hooked up! Don't want any spark into the cylinders. I guess also try not to rotate it too much as every time you turn the engine you are priming the carburetor because the fuel pump is driven off the engine.

 

[fordrodsteven]

Also, be aware that when you get the timing marks lined up and the piston is at the top of it's stroke it is possible it could also be on cylinder #6. The only real way to tell is to remove the valve cover and insure both valves are closed on cylinder #1. The other thing you could do is drop in the distributor and take the 50 - 50 shot that you hit it right. If it backfires when you do put spark to it then you are "180 degrees out" (on cylinder #6 instead of cylinder #1). Just pull the distributor up enough to rotate the rotor 180 degrees and drop it back down in. It should fire right up.

 

[fordrodsteven]

An absolute must. No other way or you could cause damage to your engine. However finding TDC on cylinder one is pretty easy..

OAO, Just curious? how do you think it could damage the engine?

 

[OneAmongOthers]

OAO, Just curious? how do you think it could damage the engine?

Well wouldn’t too much either way be really hard on the engine? Like the starter or connecting rods? Too much advance really makes the engine work against itself right? I am not trying to sound like an expert here. Just mirroring things I have read about. Though I will say from experience that too much advance is VERY hard on your starter when trying to get the engine to turn over. That I have experienced myself.

 

[fordrodsteven]

Well wouldn’t too much either way be really hard on the engine? Like the starter or connecting rods? Too much advance really makes the engine work against itself right? I am not trying to sound like an expert here. Just mirroring things I have read about. Though I will say from experience that too much advance is VERY hard on your starter when trying to get the engine to turn over. That I have experienced myself.

Well yes if you left it improperly set up it would over the long term probably wear things out faster than it should. But for purposes of popping in a distributor and getting it started then absolutely set everything where it belongs should not cause any damage to the engine.