On this 86 gl, carb 5spd dr I bought, how do I tell if the dist. is 180 deg out?

Thanks

Mike

Pull the #1 sparkplug out and rotate the engine till air blows out the cylinder (use your finger to feel), there should also be marks on the flywheel.

That will put it at TDC.

Remove the disty cap and look where the rotor is. It needs to be real close to the #1 plug wire/terminal.

assuming your timing belts are correct, remove the passenger side outer belt coverso you can see the dot. the dot will be pointing to the hard corner on the valve cover. if your rotor is 180 off, just flip the rotor. the rotor will be pointing at the master cylinder. rotation is counter clockwise. firing order is 1-3-2-4. timing is 8 deg

I would rather remove a sparkplug before dealing with the @#&$** timing belt covers

Why do you suspect that it might be?

 

Getting one cam 180 out is more common -- the timing belt marks are not both up at the same time... one is up when the other is down, and it's a common mistake by someone not familiar with the timing belts on these to put them both up instead. Runs like complete crap if you do this, if you can get it to run at all....

I already corrected the previous owners timing belt wrongdoing. But it still wont start. This is a new thread for the dist. The other thread I started was just before I purchased the car and regarding the likely hood that the timing belts were installed incorrectly.

Thanks

Mike

Getting the distributor right can be a real problem. Gears are cut at an angle and this makes the rotor jump forward when installing. Probably need to have the rotor pointing 1/2 between cylinders 1 and 3 when installing it. When all the way down, rotor should be pointing to #1 cylinder. From experience I know if the distributor is just one gear tooth off, no way the engine can be timed.