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need to know cylinder locations on 1989 4.3

J

jelwynn

New member
I'm knew so bear with me. I need to know location of #1 cylinder on my 1989 4.3L. I also could use help with a procedure for reinstalling my distributor. I marked the housing before removing but did not mark the shaft. need procedure for installing in proper location.
 
Me in blue text.

jelwynn said:
I'm new so bear with me.
I need to know location of #1 cylinder on my 1989 4.3L.
With few exceptions (none that I know of), #1 cylinder for any engine is always the forward-most cylinder.
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I also could use help with a procedure for reinstalling my distributor. I marked the housing before removing but did not mark the shaft. need procedure for installing in proper location.

Bring the crankshaft around to #1 cylinder TDC C/S (C/S = compression stroke)
It must be on the C/S.

Drop the distributor into position.
With the round cap, you'll want the rotor aiming towards the physical location of #1 cylinder. Wire the cap accordingly.
With the "crab" style cap, you'll want the rotor and cap orientated correctly regardless of aiming towards the physical location of #1.

Lightly secure the clamp so that the housing just rotates easily.

With a plug wire in #1 socket within the cap, place a good spark plug in the wire boot, and give it good contact with engine Negative.

With the ignition powered up, ** quickly rotate the distributor housing CCW until you see one spark event.
Do this several times until you get a good feel for it.
Whe this feels right, stop, and secure the clamp.
This will be close enough to fire up on.

Once BASE is set... continue checking ignition timing.

When done, tighten the clamp down so that the housing cannot rotate.


** The internal distributor shaft rotates CW.
By quickly turning the housing CCW, you'll be simulating the tiggering device turning CW.
Click to expand...
 
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Thanks Rick, just to be sure I understand, if #1 cylinder is at TDC just after compression, and rotor lines up with #1 spark plug wire terminal on cap, the distributor is installed correctly except for fine tune with timing setting?
 
jelwynn said:
Thanks Rick, just to be sure I understand,
1.... if #1 cylinder is at TDC just after compression,

2.... and rotor lines up with #1 spark plug wire terminal on cap, the distributor is installed correctly except for fine tune with timing setting?
Click to expand...

1.... You'll be at TDC during the compression stroke. IOW, TDC at this point will be at the extreme of the C/S.

At BASE advance, Ignition spark actually occurs several degrees prior to TDC.
The progressive advance occurs at an even greater degree prior to TDC.

2.... Yes.. this should be close enough to fire up on.


Remember... TDC comes around twice for each full engine cycle (2 crankshaft revolutions).
You must be on the C/S while setting this up.


Earlier I said to bring the crank around to #1 TDC.
Actually, this works best if you stop the crank at several degress before exact TDC.
As you quickly turn the housing CCW, you'll get the triggering device to create 1 spark event.
Like said..... you'll need to just get a fell for it, and it may take many tries.

This will give you spark lead for your BASE advance needed to fire up on.

Either will work.... but a bit of spark lead works better.


.
 
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Rick, Thanks again. went thru everything on Saturday. but didn't read your post till this morning. I figured out what you were saying about TDC and spark several degrees before TDC. Once I got close, I was able to manually turn engine, and put it on the timing mark. Then looked at rotor. After a few tries I was able to get the rotor lined up with #1 spark plug at the timing mark. Put everything back together at was able to get it started. Check timing and was only off a little. Spent a great Dads day on the lake with wife and kids. Thanks again for all the help.
 
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