308 Engine - Timing and Distributors | FerrariChat

308 Engine - Timing and Distributors

Discussion in 'Technical Q&A' started by Sean F., Mar 11, 2004.

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  1. Sean F.

    Sean F. F1 Rookie

    Feb 4, 2003
    3,060
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Sean F
    #1 Sean F., Mar 11, 2004
    OK,I've about got the 30k service and some other misc. things done on the car (belts, hoses, fuel lines, fix some misc. stuff).

    In the process of taking things apart, I removed the distributor from the rear bank as I was taking off the cam cover on the rear. Since I could not see the cams, the engine was not at TDC when I took the dist. off (but I think it was close at the flywheel - I had trouble interpreting the marks b/c I was not 100% at TDC until I took of the cam cover and could see the tick marks).

    So, my question is, while reassembling the cam cover, and putting the distributor back on, how do I know everything is lined up in the dist. so that it will be close to firing on the correct cylinder when I get ready to run the car????

    In other words, do I need to remove the top of the dist. and see where it is lined up. Are their any indicator marks in the dist. so I know it will be where it needs to be when the engine is at TDC?

    I checked the workshop manual but did not see anything about the timing of the spark.

    All I found in the archives was a lot of talk about timing the car, but did not see anything specific to what I need to do.

    Thanks.
     
  2. Steve Magnusson

    Steve Magnusson Two Time F1 World Champ
    Lifetime Rossa

    Jan 11, 2001
    25,123
    30°30'40" N 97°35'41" W (Texas)
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    Steve Magnusson
    #2 Steve Magnusson, Mar 11, 2004
    You will need to remove the dist caps so that you can view the dist rotor as you remount the distributors. There is a small (red) "mark" on the top edge of each distributor body:

    When in the #1 TDC firing position, the 1-4 dist rotor should be pointing towards its mark.

    When in the #5 TDC firing position, the 5-8 dist rotor should be pointing towards its mark.

    Do a search here on "308 distributor mark" -- in one of the threads Peter R. posted a good shot of the "mark".
     
  3. Mike Florio

    Mike Florio Formula Junior

    Jun 19, 2003
    592
    NW Rural Nevada
    Full Name:
    Mike Florio
    #3 Mike Florio, Mar 12, 2004
    For the purposes of this discussion lets make sure we're all singing from the same songbook. The four cylinders next to the firewall are numbered 5-8 and are the front bank. The four cylinders pointing to the trunk are 1-4 and are the rear bank.

    If you put the flywheeel at TDC for cyl 1-4 (Marked PM14 on the flywheel) and with the tick mark on the camshaft lined up the rotor on the distributor for the rear bank (cyl 1-4) should point to the notch on the distributor rim, or at about 2:00 O'clock looking at the top of the distributor.

    At the same crankshaft position, the rotor on the front distributor (cyl 5-8) should be pointing directly toward the front of the car, or about the 9:00 O'clock position.

    Hope this helps.
     
  4. Sean F.

    Sean F. F1 Rookie

    Feb 4, 2003
    3,060
    Kansas
    Full Name:
    Sean F
    #4 Sean F., Mar 12, 2004
    Thanks to both of you, that helps.

    Hopefully this thing will be back on the road soon. The weather is getting nice and I'm itching to get in it and drive it again.
     

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