Label On The Top On 1-4 Bank and Capacitor On The Top On 5-8 Bank, Right? | FerrariChat

Label On The Top On 1-4 Bank and Capacitor On The Top On 5-8 Bank, Right?

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by donaldh2o, Dec 2, 2003.

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  1. donaldh2o

    donaldh2o Karting

    Nov 10, 2003
    143
    Irvine CA
    Full Name:
    Don
    Just discovered a disturbing thing. Guess I don't know how to put distributors back on the '76 308.

    I thought the capacitor was on top of the distributor on the 5-8 bank and the Marelli label on the top on the 1-4 bank.

    After setting the flywheel to TDC for 1-4 bank, pulled the distributor cap on the the 1-4 bank and discovered the rotor was pointing 180' from the mark on the distributor body.

    How is this possible? I drove the car last night.

    Can rotors reverse themselves overnight?

    What is the correct alignment for the distributor housings - can't any pictures anywhere.?
     
  2. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,040
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
    Full Name:
    Steve Magnusson
    The crankshaft makes two revolutions for each firing so even though you've got the crank at #1 TDC you're probably at the end of the exhaust stroke rather than at the end of the compression stroke (for sure if the thing was/is running). Not only do you need to have the crank at #1 TDC you need to be on the revolution where both #1 valves are closed (i.e., at the end of the compression stroke).
     
  3. donaldh2o

    donaldh2o Karting

    Nov 10, 2003
    143
    Irvine CA
    Full Name:
    Don
    I suspected that.

    So when working on the distributor and you've forgotten where it was when you took it off, is there anyway of telling how it should go back on?
     
  4. 4Webers

    4Webers Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2003
    276
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Darrell
    Actually, the car CAN run if you get one distributor off by a crank revolution (don't ask me how I know...), but it won't run very well.

    There are a couple of things you can do to make sure that the distributor(s) go back on exactly the same as they came off:

    First, I put two small dots of nail polish or touch-up paint next to each other, one dot on the distributor body and one dot on the engine. I actually used one color for the forward bank and a different color for the rear bank, just so I wouldn't get the two distributors switched bank-to-bank if I ever have them both off at the same time.

    Secondly, take off the distributor cap first before pulling the rest of the distributor, and make sure that the rotor is pointing at the reference notch at the #1 firing point. (there is a good pic of this in an old archive thread) This will only happen with cylinder #1 at TDC on the compression stroke. This is of course on the rear bank distributor, the same is true for cylinder #5 TDC on the front bank distributor.

    I use the old trick of putting the car in 5th gear, then pushing/rocking it forward until TDC shows up on flywheel. Be sure to take the car out of gear afterwards so you don't move the crank any more after that.
     
  5. 4re gt4

    4re gt4 Formula 3

    Apr 23, 2002
    2,279
    Roseburg, OR
    Full Name:
    Hans E. Hansen
    The motor is fairly easy to turn via the big bolt on the crank pulley. 36mm socket, as I remember.
     
  6. 4Webers

    4Webers Formula Junior

    Nov 12, 2003
    276
    Texas
    Full Name:
    Darrell
    True, but unless you have an 8' long right arm, you can't watch the flywheel while you do it. Helpers/spouses aren't always quite as eager as we are to get greasy either. :)
     
  7. 4re gt4

    4re gt4 Formula 3

    Apr 23, 2002
    2,279
    Roseburg, OR
    Full Name:
    Hans E. Hansen
    I got my other half to monitor the flywheel as I turned it by promising her that she *wouldn't* have to ride with me when I was done! <g>
     

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