356A - Valve Adjustment (Confusion)

[mrg3.6]

Hi,

Having pulled my old exhaust and heat exchangers, I am checking the valve clearance whist I wait for the parts to arrive.

Following Heidi and Frannys Garage (my new heroes) video on U-tube, it would seem that when Top Dead Centre and the mark on the distributor are all aligned then the rotor should always point towards cylinder Nr 1 spark plug - yes?

However my distributor is pointing towards cylinder Nr 2 spark plug at TDC, which would suggest (to me) the cable is in the wrong hole and I should swap it over with Nr 1 spark plug?

If my assumption is correct how come the car has been running so well with the cylinders firing in the wrong order or am I messing up?

Thx
Martin

[Kneeslider]

Don't get too hung up on that detail. If the car ran properly before you started to take it apart, then of course, the cylinders are firing in the correct order.

Sounds like the distributor drive dog inside the 3rd piece is aligned differently with the brass drive gear on the crank. I didn't say wrongly, because it obviously works, but if you want all the marks to line up, then there is a position recommended for the drive dog relative to tdc on #1 cylinder on the firing stroke.

If you want to change it, you will have to lift up the distributor drive dog, and move it round till it aligns in the recommended manner, and to do that, you will need to push it up. To do that, you will need to take the fuel pump out, and put your finger through the hole to lift it, and then you need to make sure that the thrust washer on the bottom of the drive dog doesn't drop off into the interior of the 3rd piece.

Still really keen to make all the marks line up?

[mrg3.6]

Hi Kneeslider

Appreciate the feedback and as ever sounds like hard work to correct.

So does that mean I should be reversing the sequence to check/adjust the valves on cylinders 1 and 2 ?

Thx
Martin

[Kneeslider]

Hi Martin. Nope. All that the position of the distributor rotor arm tells you is that the engine is on the firing stroke at tdc on cylinder #1.

Turn the crank round 360 deg again, and see where the rotor arm points now.

Just for clarification, the OT mark on the crank pulley is straight up, aligned with the mark on the crank case?

You want to see the rotor arm now pointing to the plug lead on cyl #1.

Just to make sure. Cylinder #1 is the one on the right side nearest the front of the car?

This is much easier to show and do than to talk about! Its confusing!

[neilbardsley]

It's very unlikely that the firing order is wrong. Trace the lead wires to cylinders. Firstly the rotor arm will not exactly point at the contract point on distribution because you will be statically 3+ degrees advanced. Make sure your tdc mark on the pulley is aligned with the mark on the case. Then check the valves gaps on the cylinder .1 in and .15 out. I suggest you check all of them first before adjusting anything. If not too far away then leave alone?

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[mrg3.6]

Gents,

Thanks all for your assistance.

Just had a passing visit from Dave Broughton (911 Classic) who kindly pointed out that the plug leads crossed over (hidden by generator) and yes the cable does end up at cylinder Nr 1.

Panic over and feeling like a complete twat.

Thx
Martin

[Kneeslider]

Panic over and feeling like a complete twat.

Not at all. We've all done it at some point.