help on installing distributor after ribuild

[Anonymous]

Hello. any help would be appreaciated. I just rebuilt a 200 and need help on installing the distributor i am just going to use the load a matic for now to see if it is going to run, then plan to go with the duraspark II later. I need to know how to line everything up to install. also any help on adjusting the valves. I just put the old rocker arm back on (after cleaning ) This is the first engine rebuild for me so sorry if this is a dumb ? I don't have a repair manual or know where to get one that will help me with this kind of ? thanks.

 

[Patrick66]

most rocker arms aren't adjustable, what year is your engine? IIRC 200"s never came with adjustable ones, so unless you bought some adjustable ones, you won't have to adjust anything.

to install the distributor, make sure piston #1 is on its compression stroke at top dead center. if the head is already on, take the valve cover off and pull the spark plugs out.

put your finger, a dowel, or something else in the spark plug hole for the piston to hit when it comes to the top of its stroke. i've used 1/4" extensions before, so anything will work, just remember to turn it over by hand. Not with the starter, and don't drop it in there. if the piston is at the top, and both valves are closed, you are on the right stroke.

if the exhaust valve is open, remove your stop, turn the engine over a bit, reinsert stop and continue turning the crank a full 360* (until the piston hits the stop again). you will then be on the compression stroke

then insert the distributor with the rotor pointing towards #1, the rotor will rotate a little as it goes down, so anticipate that. DONT FORGET the oil pump drive shaft. put the hold down and bolt in and finger tighten, you'll have to play with the timing to get it to fire, so don't tighten it all the way.

put on the wires and your done.

 

[fordconvert]

Where the rotor points in relation to the engine is not critical. Some of the DS2 caps are labeled and on them #1 ends up in the 3 to 6 o'clock position if you are standing on the distributor side of the engine. Thats also where the 66 shop manual shows #1. What is critical is that the rotor is pointing to the terminal on the cap that the #1 is hooked to. In theory this could be any of the 6. If you made your own wires it wont make any difference. If you are using 'factory' style wires it will have to be in that 3-6 range to make them all reach.

If you motor is already all together to get it into the proper position you should be able to turn the engine over by hand (with all plugs out will be easier) and hold your finger over #1 spark plug hole. Watch for the timing mark as it gets close to the gauge you should be coming up on top dead center. If you feel air pushing your finger out of the hole you are on the correct (compression) stroke. Run it so the mark lines up with the 0 on the gauge and then drop in the dizzy so the #1 is where you want it to be. If it did not blow your finger off go around one more time and the next time should push your finger off. You will notice as you drop it in the rotor will rotate a bit as the gear meshes into the other gear so you have to start it 1/8- 1/4 of a turn away from where you want it to end up. And if thats not enough to think about after it starts onto the gear the oil pump shaft has to line up. Good thing about these fords is its a hex so you have a much better chance of getting it than a GM that is a flat. If the dizzy wont drop all the way in pull it out and use a socket on an extension to turn the pump shaft slightly and try again. Its not uncommon to take several tries to get it all the way you want it. I would say 1 in 10 tries I get it the first time. 5 of 10 it takes more than 10 tries. Once you think you have it and get the engine started you may find that you have to re do it because the vacuum advance can hits something before you get it in time. You then pull it out and move it a tooth or two the way you want it to go. Sometimes this is easy sometimes the oil shaft makes it a pain.

Good thing is when you go to the DS2 you dont need to do the plug thing. As long as you dont move the engine while the dizzy is out (manual transmission in neutral) you just have to install the new dizzy so the rotor ends up pointing at the same plug wire the old one was pointing at.

 

[fordconvert]

For your rocker question... as long as you did not have much machining done to the block or head and you are using all stock parts you should be fine. The factory hyd setup has quite a bit of range. If there was a lot of machining or it was like mine that had some non stock pushrods put in to deal with valve height issues due to a low quality rebuild/repair on the head at one point in its life you may need to do some measuring to make sure everything is going to work.

 

[wallaka]

most rocker arms aren't adjustable, what year is your engine? IIRC 200"s never came with adjustable ones, so unless you bought some adjustable ones, you won't have to adjust anything.

Some 200s in '65 and '66 at least had them...Ford used whatever was in the parts bin until it was used up.

Here's how to adjust them, if you need to.
http://classicinlines.com/valve_adj.asp

 

[Frankenstang]

The only suggestion I'd add to the good directions given above is not to rely too heavily on the timing mark on the harmonic balancer. This can be very important. Unless you have a brand spanking new balancer the outer portion of the balancer has a tendancy to slip and move on older balancers making the timing mark useless at that point.

I find it better to rely on pressure coming out of the spark plug hole on #1 to know when you're getting close. On a four stroke engine the piston travels upward twice in a cycle. Once is for compression (which is when you'll feel the pressure at the plug hole cause the valves are closed). The second is the exhaust stroke when the exhaust valve is open(ing) to release gasses.

-Robert