Distributor installed 'backwards' by PO

cg41425 · Post by **cg41425** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:33 am

1300 stock but the distributor is installed 180* bassacwards. Can I simply rotate it 180 or do I need to remove it and reinstall. Thanks for your help.

exprof · Post by **exprof** » Thu Aug 14, 2008 6:57 pm

Remove the distributor.

Rotate the engine by hand clockwise until the #1 cylinder top dead center mark is even with the seam in the engine case.

Reinstall the distributor and check your timing.

cg41425 · Post by **cg41425** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 8:02 am

Thanks for your help.

exprof · Post by **exprof** » Fri Aug 15, 2008 9:27 pm

My pleasure. Maybe you'll help me out someday.

fatalifeaten · Post by **fatalifeaten** » Mon Aug 18, 2008 12:18 pm

You DO NOT HAVE to do this. it will run just fine 180 out as long as the wires are in the correct locations.

Having gotten that off my chest, you probaby should fix it. not only is a condensor ugly, but there may be a risk of a snapped belt whacking it and destroying it when you least want to get out and fix it. (You know, in the dark, in the middle of nowhere, at night, in a blizzard). If it's on the back side between the dizzy and the shroud, no worries.

Blue Baron · Post by **Blue Baron** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 11:49 am

exprof wrote:Remove the distributor.

Rotate the engine by hand clockwise until the #1 cylinder top dead center mark is even with the seam in the engine case.

Reinstall the distributor and check your timing.

Rotating the engine until the mark on the pulley is at 12 o'clock could indicate No. 1 or No. 3 cylinder is at top dead center. You want the left notch in the pulley at 12 o'clock, and the rotor facing the No. 1 plug wire. There's a notch in the top edge of the distributor base that indicates No. 1 firing mark. That should line up with the No. 1 plug wire. From there, static time it as per the Muir instructions.

You should not need to remove the distributor to do this.

Why it's important to have the distributor facing the right direction: The VW engine tended to run hot on No. 3 cylinder, and the Bosch distributors had a build-in 2 degrees of retard for No. 3. If the dizzy is backward, that lobe will now be facing No. 1.

There's also a good chance that whoever built the engine installed the distributor drive backwards. If that's the case it should be fine the way it is. You'll be able to determine this by following the instructions I posted above. If the notch in the dizzy is under the No. 1 wire, you're fine. If it's under No. 3, you're backwards.

scruffy · Post by **scruffy** » Mon Jan 19, 2009 12:15 pm

I had an old 40 horse the previous owner had 180 off I hooked it up according to the way it supose to be it wouldn't do nothing so i switched the firing order.#3 is now #1 and #1 is #3.fired up on first turn.not bad for a motor that sat for over 20 years! then i moved the mice out of it.