Distributor Install Advice Needed

[ob2s 3]

Hi,

I bought an ultraspark distributor last week and went to install it today. It didn't work, but I think I know why and wondered if anyone could advise me. I noted the position of the rotor when I removed the old dist. When you place the dist in the engine, the gear below 

 

 

only goes in one way. If you were to rotate the gear 180 degrees, it won't go in.

The problem is that the rotor copper end

 

on the old dist., when the gear is all the way in the engine, the copper end as above is at 2 o'clock, when I put the new one in (the only way it will go), the copper end is at 8 o'clock, exactly 180 degrees off.  It doesn't work of course. I put the old one back in and it works fine. Do you think it is possible for me via reassembly to be able to rotate the rotor 180 degrees with the gear remaining stationary or am I fooked ?

Thanks

Edited October 23, 2020 by ob2s

[Ozymandis 96]

Swap the plug leads around to suit on the distributor cap, only takes a minute .

 

Or, remove the retainer ring, then drive out the retaining pin of the male drive dog, with the appropriate size punch, spin it 180 and reassemble.(voiding any warranty)

 

The conductive parts of the rotor arm are brass not copper.

 

[ob2s 3]

Thanks, seems like a dumb question now and a lot of wasted labor.

[Ozymandis 96]

1 hour ago, ob2s said:

Thanks, seems like a dumb question now and a lot of wasted labor.

Not at all, over the years I have seen a lot of 4 stroke petrol engines with the ignition timed up 180 out with the plug leads re arranged to suit. I'm really old.

 

 

[dt_ 7]

On the vein of this topic, when I replaced my head gasket I neglected to note down the orientation of the leads.  When I built the head back up, i just put the distributor on, and put the leads back logically, longest to cyl 1 etc. It started and ran no problems, but any attempt with a timing gun on the flywheel (auto) has never worked; ive never been able to see any markings at all, even though the car was running sweetly.   Could this mean that I could have the timing out 180 degrees? 

[Ozymandis 96]

Put your timing light pickup on the "opposite" plug lead and see if the marks come into view .

 

Or carefully turn the engine over a bit at a time and look to see if there are any timing marks present, if there are put a blob of Tippex/paint/chalk/autosol guestimately 180 degrees ish from them, then have another go with your light on the original plug lead and if your new blobs somewhereish in view then Your timed up on the wrong stroke.

 

On an auto i cant remember if they have marks on the torque converter/flexplate or what they have for reference. I'm sure You know more than me on that part of it Dan