Does pertronix change your firing order...?

Anthony If you can make amy sense out of this you are doing better than I am. I went back over some of his old threads to try and figure it out. On
3/26 his post said " So about 3 months ago I sent my carb out and had it rebuilt by a member on here at a discounted price. I recently had a points eliminator kit put in my car and before that it was running pretty shaky"
There is no mention of it not running at all.
On 3/27 He mentions his local Buick shop.
On 3/30 his post said " I just got the points eliminator put in and they are recurving the ignition.

I can't make any sense of it. If he has a local Buick shop why would they screw up the firing order. Or if he a different shop do the work why didn't he take it to the Buick shop. Also when he talks about recently having a points eliminator kit put in he make no mention of it not running at all, he said be fore that it was runing pretty shaky.o No: Any way I give up I'm going to work on my project.

 

Thats what i thought...just didnt want to sound dumb...
is doing it by turning the crankshaft with a socket by hand better?
I did that last time...and i know...clockwise only haha

 

By just cranking it with the key little by little.
Sorry...might sound dumb...ive just never done it like that

 

got it...and it probably wont be perfectly on 1 TDC though right?

 

You can do it that way, but without somebody helping you have to have some pretty long arms to reach both the number one spark plug hole and the key at the same time (unless you have a remote starter switch, but we don't need to go there...this is taking too long as it is).

Yes, you can easily use a 1-1/8" socket and ratchet to turn the crankshaft little by little until you feel the compression under your thumb. Right about the time that happens you should notice the timing mark on the balancer coming around...just keep turning it a bit until the mark lines up with the zero mark on the front cover. Then you can pop the distributor cap off and see if the rotor is pointing toward the #1 spark plug wire.

Devon

 

Enters into orbit...hahahaha

 

Having a dist 180 out happens all the time.(Why did that mech. even pull the dist?)
Hey do they still make $$UNI-LITE$$
Dist?I have had one in my 455 since 89' still works fine-adjustable mech and vac advance
.Maybe I just got one of the 'good ones'.

 

I don't think it's a "Buick" shop. I think our mechanic has a Buick sign out front and thats is about all he knows about Buick. Anyway Aid's problems are not "Buick" specific they are general auto knowledge (auto shop 101). I am no pro by any stretch of ones imagination and I know what happened to the kid's car. The rube mechanic pulled the disrtibutor to put in the points eliminator (which could have been done in the car) and reinstalled 180* out. When he went to start the car and it popped throught the carb he should have gotten his butt out of the car and replaced the distributer 180*. He didn't he then tells the kid he cant get the car running cause he is a moron. Unfortunately we have to solve this morons mistake through cyber space.
A while back when Aid started, the part numbers were given to him (with links to Summit by me) with specific instructions on how to accomplish the tasks. I don't want him to think we are angry at him but he really needs to make a list and do things in an orderly fashion. I just wish he was on Long Island, I would love to help a kid out who has the passion like Aid does. But that still wont stop me from kicking his arse a few times if he doesnt start to do things a little more systematically and as recommended by us who are trying to help him out. Love ya Kiddo but we got to get you a little more organized.:TU:

 

Ahhh I know...considering there was a carshow this weekend that I would be driving to myself with some new headers if I would of listened...i get it.
Basically I've realized that I should be a lot more confident in my abilities to work on my car myself...ask you guys first and then if i mess up...theres always you guys to tell what i did wrong :beer
its that simple. the fact that I knew what was wrong just from what you guys has tought me to not doubt myself. Not that im overly confident now or anything.

oh and yacster...I know its a little late but I did get a nice pair of new plug wires, battery cables, spark plugs, a fuel pump and new hoses...thats more organized and prioritized if you ask me :grin:
Hopefully im starting to learn...Thanks for all your help though

 

That's the way we learn kiddo.

Did you try to fix the distributor yet? If not you can try one quick thing before trying to put the #1 on top dead center (TDC). Take the distributor cap off. Use a reference of where the contact on the rotor is pointing, i.e. towards the water neck or the radiator cap you get the idea. You want to have a reference point so you can turn the rotor assembly 180*.
Now you have a reference where it is pointing. Look for somthing directly opposite that and remeber what it is. Now take a piece of tape and place that exactly where your vacuum advance housing is pointing. This will have the distributor in the ball park timing wise when you reinstall it.
Now unbolt the distributor. As you pull the distributor out Slowly you will see the rotor spin a little due to the curvature of the disributor gear. Pull the distributor out. look at the bottom of the distributor. It looks like a circle with a line in the middle. I'll get to that in a second. Turn the rotor 180* around from that position. Replace the rotor back in and again (*note* the gear will make the rotor turn slightly as it goes back in so you need to be a little "off" of 180*). The line in the middle of the circle I mentioned before is your oil pump drive. It MUST seat in the housing correctly or the distributor will not seat correctly-then nothing works. Think of the distributor as a big flat head screw driver and you are trying to place the spade part in the slot of the screw (oil pump)below. You might have to turn the rotor slightly to (a tooth or 2 on the gear) to get it to seat properly. Once the distibutor is all the way back in the housing, replace the bolt and hold down and tighten (just tight enough to barely move the distributor with your hand)lining up the vacuum advance to the piece of tape. Re connect every thing and give it a start.:TU:

 

I have not yet gone to do it because it is at his shop and im gonna have to wait to do it when he gets back...
Should I put it in the right firing order...then try it...THEN if it doesnt work do this step of 180 turn around?

Oh and...how bout one of them t shirts yacster?

 

YES. Abosultely put the wires in the correct firing order first!! That might be the problem first. I thought you already did that. If it still runs all messed up then we need to check the distributor.... Get the firing order squared away first. God willing that will be the fix in this case:TU:

What size are you on the shirt??

 

Awesome...ill check it out.
Large if they run true...xl if theyre a little small:laugh: