Distributor Installation

[kvkon]

A friend helped me do the tear down on my 2005 4.3 MPI. He pulled the distributor after I had marked it's position. He doesn't remember pulling a connector off the socket on the rear of the distributor housing. I haven't found anything to plug in there. Am I missing something?

 

[alldodge]

Am I missing something?

No
The distributor has a cam sensor installed but Merc doesn't use it

 

[kvkon]

No
The distributor has a cam sensor installed but Merc doesn't use it

Good news! Thanks

 

[kvkon]

I got the Distributor back in by lining TDC on the balancer (I couldn't ensure I was on compression and figured I'd just spin the distrib 180 degrees if it wouldn't start), dropped the distributor in so the rotor lines up with the number 6 tab on the housing when its seated in the oil pump shaft. Engines started but ran rough,. popping and missing and even a little knocking. Set the distrib back (retarded) 1 tooth, no start. Tried advancing 1 tooth from where I started, no start. I now have it set back to where I started, running but missing and popping. Suggestions? If I'm 180 degrees out on the distributor would it start at all?

 

[alldodge]

got the Distributor back in by lining TDC on the balancer

If I'm 180 degrees out on the distributor would it start at all?

No telling where your at, the HVS dizzy is not set by the balancer

The distributor is in the right spot but is the rotor in relation to the distributor housing?

 

[kvkon]

I found TDC by lining up the timing mark on the balancer with the timing tab on the cam chain cover. I then dropped the dizzy in so when it seated the rotor was lined up with the 6 number on the dizzy housing (not the #6 terminal on the cap). Thoughts?

 

[alldodge]

So long as it looked like this your good (note the notch and rotor)

 

[kvkon]

So long as it looked like this your good (note the notch and rotor)

Yep that's what I did and no luck. However I ran out and bought a new cap and rotor and it runs like a clock now. Had no idea that the cap and rotor could have that effect and I never did a thing to them when I had the engine apart. Keep learning new stuff even at my dementia age!

 

[alldodge]

The caps are natorious for going bad and looking great. Most folks keep a spare on board just in case it just quits

Keep learning new stuff even at my dementia age!

Forget and relearn can be fun