Posted by chriscase on Friday, December 02, 2005 at 11:41AM :
In Reply to: NO, not having fun yet... posted by Garrett Mayer on Thursday, December 01, 2005 at 12:10PM :
Remove the plug, and stick a piece of coathanger wire down the hole. Use a foot or so, so you can't drop it in. Then, turn engine by hand, or by pushing the truck in 4th gear. Watch for maximum up-stroke of piston, that will be TDC. Make a mark on the damper or flywheel, for next time. For more precision, turn past tdc and let wire drop a measured distance(dial indicastor helps), chalk flywheel. Turn back 'til wire comes up, then down again the same amount. Chalk another mark. Move flywheel to split the 2 marks, that is tdc, as precise as your measuring, and the width of you chalk lines... Now look closely at the damper, can you find marks that line up? They are lightly stamped in the outside surface. If not, make some permanent ones.
Now loosen dist, make sure it is pointed at either #1, or #6, turn key on, turn dist back and forth until the points open in the advance direction. You can hear the spark. if it's quiet.
There are 2 advance systems, vacuum and centrifugal. Make sure the centrifugal works by twisting the rotor back and forth, it should feel springy in one direction, and move freely, not gummy. If it is gummy, remove dist (point rotor straight ahead first, for easy replacement later, do not crankl engine in the meantime) and fully disassemble upper mechanism on the bench, make sure to put weights back on right side up- mark top if necessary. Clean, and lube with motor oil, reassemble. set points with dist on bench, it's lots easier.