I was curious. Because other night i hit a bump and knocked my timing off .i happen to have my distributor tie down bolt tool and timing gun with me..With the help of my passenger i reset the timing and was back on the road within 5 minutes. This the second time it came loose. My question is if i didnt have my tools i would have had to call a tow truck so if i marked the distributer at the shaft so if it moves again i just line it up exactly to the paint pen marks, would my timing be the same?
if you index it very carefully it should be the same if you have to adjust it again. But, you should try to find out why bolt that holds the distributor down is coming loose. That shouldn't ever happen. Perhaps you have the wrong bolt?
Really - that must have been some bump! If the bolt is too long, it'll bottom out before it holds the bracket tight.
I would try a few extra washers on the bolt, it sounds like it's bottoming out and can't tighten... Or get a shorter bolt that won't bottom out... Or it's the wrong bolt thread wise... If you have a few different bolts in different sizes I'd try them to see if they wiggle in the hole... Keep trying till you get a tight bolt... Maybe use some blue Lock Tight on the bolt as well... As far as marking the shaft that will get you running and most likely close to your timing... If it happens I would definitely check your timing when you get home... But if you try the things I said above hopefully it will never happen again... Good Luck, Let us know what you find... .
I have marked mine for years. I. Fact I mark all my customers too......then unknown if the play with it. It aids in going back in. But yes it might not be perfect but it will run. I have complete removed and stopped back in on the same marks and never had a no fire
Yes you can mark it, but it is hard to be that precise in doing so. 1* of distributor rotation = 2* at the crank. That bolt should never loosen. You need to resolve that, it isn't normal as others have pointed out.
I had a 66 Chevy where the distributor had a chisel-mark at the base of the distributor, and onto the intake manifold. I don't know if that was a "factory" mark, or someone whacked it at the Dealership during a "tune-up". The car was in the family from new; and Mom only ever went to the Dealership for service until I "inhereted" it in High School.
Yep marking it worked and it moved again twice but since i marked it was real easy and simple to set the timing without a gun. ..Cant get it no tighter so i ordered a new bolt that comes with washer and bracket..So going try that once it arrives and hopefully no more moving.
A stud works better....doesn't pull on that soft aluminum as much. Then get a serrated flange nut and it will stay put.
