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Date:         Wed, 5 Jan 2000 14:03:39 -0500
Reply-To:     Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Bulley <gmbulley@BULLEY-HEWLETT.COM>
Subject:      Re: finding TDC
Comments: To: Jay & Kim Schmidt <schmidt5@hsonline.net>

IF: 1. your motor was at TDC before, and it hasn't been turned over 2. you only pulled the distributor, and NOT the distributor drive shaft (The little medicine-bottle sizes plug with a gear-shaped end) THEN You have no fears. The distributor will only mate to the drive shaft one way. Simply shove the distributor down into the hole, (use a new seal) and rotate the rotor to align the distributor shaft with the drive shaft. The eccentric grove machined into the drive shaft end will mate with the dist shaft, and it will 'thunk' into place when they meet.

Cheers. G. Matthew Bulley Bulley-Hewlett Corporate Communications Counselors www.bulley-hewlett.com Cary, NC USA 888.468.4880 tollfree

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-----Original Message----- From: Jay & Kim Schmidt [SMTP:schmidt5@hsonline.net] Sent: Wednesday, January 05, 2000 2:53 PM To: Bulley; vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM Subject: Re: finding TDC

Thanks Bulley, Stuart. I should offer this. The van is a '84 and I need to find TDC for #1 to put the dizzy in correctly. Therefore I cannot use the dizzy to help me find TDC. Am I making a mountain out of nothing? The manuals would have you believe that you have to worry about TDC when you put the dizzy back in, but it only goes in one way right? My admittedly naive logis tells me that if the engine has been turned off of TDC for #1, you have to spin the dizzy accordingly to get it to go in right(those 2 offset ears on the dizzy shaft must match the grooves down in the hole). You can do this with your eyes and hands without caring where or what TDC is yes? I figure I will either be right the first time or off by 180 degrees since you have to turn the motor pulley twice to make one complete revolution of the dizzy rotor. If I need to be set straight, please do so. Thank you for the explanation! Jay Schmidt Seymout IN

>Assuming you are looking for #1 TDC, remove the #1 spark plug, and the >distributor cap. Roll the engine over by hand (using a wrench) until the >dist. rotor points 'roughly' at the #1 quadrant of the distributor (where >TDC should be). > >Wet your right pinkie finger, and loosely jab it into the spark plug hole. >Roll the motor over in the proper direction (clockwise) with the wrench. >You will feel either pressure or suction, depending on whether the piston >is BTDC or ATDC. Roll the motor back and forth until you find the mid-point >between BTDC (pressure) and ATDC (suction). Once you find the midpoint >(your finger is still in the hole) curl your pinkie finger and attempt to >touch the piston crown.


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