Editing How to install a distributor

One of the items that many find confusing when reassembling an engine is installation of the distributor. 
The distributor is gear driven from the camshaft and also drives the oil pump. When it is removed from the engine it must then be reinstalled in the correct timing position with the cam and oil pump. The following is procedure copied from a GM shop manual with added clarification. It should be viewed as typical of GM cars and any other distributor equipped engines.
1. Locate #1 piston in firing position by either of two methods described below.
   a. Remove #1 spark plug and, with a finger on plug hole, crank the engine until compression is felt in the #1 cylinder. Continue cranking until timing mark on the crankshaft pulley lines up with timing tab attached to the engine front cover. OR
   b. Remove rocker cover (left bank V-8 engine) and crank engine until #1 intake valve closes and continue to crank slowly until about 1/3 turn until timing mark on pulley lines up with timing tab. 
2. Install distributor in a position consistant with the original attitude of the vacuum advance device and toward the #1 plug wire position on the distributor cap.
3. Position the rotor to point toward the front of the engine  (with the distributor housing held in it's installed attitude), then turn the rotor counter-clockwise approximatley 1/8 turn more toward the left cylinder bank and push the distributor down to the engine camshaft. It may be necessary to rotate the rotor slightly until the cam shaft engagement is felt. 
4. While pressing firmly down on the distributor housing, kick the starter over very briefly to make sure the oil pump shaft is engaged. Distributor will drop down to the flange. Install hold down clamp.
5. Turn the distributor body slightly until the points just open and tighten the hold down clamp.
6. Place the distributor cap in position and check to see that the rotor lines up with the terminal #1 spark plug wire.
7. Install cap, check all high tension wire connections and connect spark plug wires if they were removed. Wires must be installed in the correct locations .

[[Category:Engine]]