Doing a TeamRush Upgrade.

[kicknjeep]

ok I have decided to at least remove the POS dist and get it ready for the 79 dist and TEAMRUSH upgrade. I have the # 1 piston up and engine at TDC, Now the rotor is pointing at the # 1 plug wire at the cap. But is it supposed to be pointing away from #1 plug or towards?. I'll see if I can get some pics to help visualize.




is this right? or at 180 from where it should be? does anybody have pic of dist and reference to where everything should be?.

Thanks Dan.

 

[CJ]

Re: ignition control module

You should be good to pull the dist, just put the new one back in the same orientation, don't turn the engine over after you pull the dist.

 

[TeamRush]

ok I have decided to at least remove the POS dist and get it ready for the 79 dist and TEAMRUSH upgrade. I have the # 1 piston up and engine at TDC,

Finding TDC of the piston is only HALF the issue!
You have to make sure you have TDC of COMPRESSION STROKE,
And not TDC of EXHAUST STROKE!

Remember, you are working on a '4 Cycle' engine, and the piston reaches TDC TWICE for every one firing cycle...
You are looking for TDC OF COMPRESSION STROKE.

------------------------------------------------------------

Now the rotor is pointing at the # 1 plug wire at the cap. But is it supposed to be pointing away from #1 plug or towards?. I'll see if I can get some pics to help visualize.

*IF* you have TDC of COMPRESSON STROKE,
The rotor should be pointing (Roughly) at the #1 plug wire terminal...

Unless you put the cap on, find the #1 plug wire,
And mark the distributor HOUSING so we can see where #1 is supposed to be, there is no way for us to tell in the pictures you posted....
AND,
I didn't see any mark on the distributor housing...

is this right? or at 180 from where it should be? does anybody have pic of dist and reference to where everything should be?.

Thanks Dan.

Since you have the Prestolite distributor in for these pictures, I can't say if you have the distributor in correctly or not...

Correct placement for the Jeep/Motorcraft distributor is with the vacuum advance nipple pointing at the DRIVERS SIDE RADIATOR END (roughly)

If you want to do the 'TeamRush' upgrade,
You are going to have to change out the distributor,
So where you have this distributor set now makes no difference...

The only thing that will transfer over to the new distributor is TDC of COMPRESSION STROKE...
If you are square on TDC of COMPRESSION STROKE,
It's VERY EASY to drop in the new distributor in the correct place...

Here are some instructions on how to set a distributor,
How To Set A Distributor

 

[kicknjeep]

what about the voltage regulator? do i still need this?

 

[kicknjeep]

Never mind stupid question, BUT what does the ignition wire run to? diagram again please it would help. I think I figured that one out . Here is the pic of the prestolite dist w/cap off, My finger is pointing at mark where the # 1 plug wire is and the rotor is pointing directly at the mark. So if I install the new dist with the rotor pointing at same mark and make this the # 1 plug wire all should be good right?.

 

[kicknjeep]

OK overall have distributor in with Teamrush ingredients added and it actually starts but I am still having timing (I thinks it's the timing)issues. It will start, run and idle fine but it has a serious drag when starting kinda like over advanced. can somebody post a picture of there distributor w/out the cap with TDC and rotor pointing at the # 1 to make sure it's correct. This is for an AMC 304 V8, I am almost there

 

[TeamRush]

OK overall have distributor in with Teamrush ingredients added and it actually starts but I am still having timing (I thinks it's the timing)issues. It will start, run and idle fine but it has a serious drag when starting kinda like over advanced. can somebody post a picture of there distributor w/out the cap with TDC and rotor pointing at the # 1 to make sure it's correct. This is for an 304 V8, I am almost there

9 chances out of 10 you have the rotor in the wrong place...

take a look at this diagram from the service manual...
Notice where the #1 plug wire is located here?

Do NOT WORRY ABOUT WHERE THE ROTOR *WAS* ON THE OLD DISTRIBUTOR!

You need to put the distributor cap on the NEW DISTRIBUTOR,
Figure out which terminal is supposed to be #1,
And mark THAT TERMINAL on the new distributor!

Then you make the rotor line up with that mark when you install it!
----------------------------------------

Remove spark plug from #1 cylinder.

Use a HAND WRENCH/SOCKET to turn the engine with,
DO NOT use the starter to locate the compression stroke!

Find COMPRESSION STROKE of #1 cylinder.
Once you have VERIFIED compression stroke is starting,
Then you can move on...

When compression starts,
Use a wooden dowel rod or chop stick to locate the top of the piston in the cylinder though the spark plug hole.

Feel for the piston to move when you rotate the engine with the wrench.
When the piston reaches TOP DEAD CENTER (TDC),
Where the piston is farthest 'UP' in the cylinder,
That will be TDC of #1 On Compression Stroke.

WARNING: There is a TDC of EXHAUST STROKE in a 4 cycle engine, so you MUST verify COMPRESSION STROKE,
Then make sure you find TDC of COMPRESSION STROKE!

Once you have VERIFIED Compression Stroke,
And you have VERIFIED TDC,

Then, and ONLY THEN, can you have a look at the Harmonic Balancer 'Hash' mark...
The 'Hash Mark' on the balancer should line up (roughly) with the 0° (zero) mark on the timing scale on the front engine cover.

In this picture, it shows '0°' mark as 'TDC'...

If your balancer 'Hash' mark lines up (more or less, within a few degrees) with the 'TDC' mark shown in the picture, then your balancer is VERIFIED...

The next thing you should do is mark the #1 spark plug terminal location on the distributor body,
Then flip the distributor cap and see if the rotor is pointing at the #1 mark you made...

NOW REMEMBER!
The Prestolite distributor, Jeep/Motorcraft distributor, and Delco-Remy breaker point distributors all index at different places!

If I were you, I'd use the above diagram from the service manual (and the #1 on the cap) to index your distributor from...

If you distributor rotor IS NOT pointing at the mark you made on the distributor body, then you need to lift the distributor and try again to get it where it's supposed to be...
--------------------------------------

Keep in mind that the distributor rotor is going to ROTATE CLOCKWISE as you insert it in the engine!

The distributor gear is 'SPIRAL CUT' so it's going to rotate on the camshaft gear as it seats...

This means you want to back the rotor up about one plug wire terminal space before you install the distributor so the rotor will STOP MOVING in the correct place!

If it dosn't drop into the correct postion, DON'T PANIC!
I used to do this every day for a living, and I still have to lift the distributors and try again on occasion,
It's really no big deal to lift and try again...

The only other thing you need to know is...
Sometimes the oil pump shaft will hold the distributor up about 1/2" from seating on the timing cover...
This is NORMAL.

Turn the engine TWO complete revolutions BY HAND and bring the 'Hash' mark on the balancer back up to the 'TDC' mark on the timing cover and check the rotor for alignment.

Since the oil pump drive shaft will seat in the first half turn of the engine, that's not the issue with having to turn the engine TWO full revolutions...
This is a '4 Stroke' engine, so to get back to TDC OF COMPRESSION STROKE again,
And that takes TWO COMPLETE REVOLUTIONS anytime you come off TDC of #1 Compression stroke.

One revolution would put you at the top of TDC of EXHAUST STROKE, exactly 180° OUT from where you want to be.

TWO Revolutions, back to TDC mark with the 'Hash' mark on the balancer,
Then see if the rotor lines up with your #1 Mark on the distributor housing...
---------------------------------

Once you VERIFY,
Compression stroke,
TDC,
Balancer,
Distributor/rotor location,
Then you can put the cap back on and run the plug wires were they need to go.
Again, take a look at the diagram from the service manual and run the plug wires to the correct locations on the cap and plugs,
And I ALWAYS double check before I try and start an engine after putting the plug wires back on!

It's just TOO EASY to get a plug wire in the wrong place, and it happens to the best of us!

Once everything is VERIFIED, you can then rest assured your ignition is going to work correctly!

 

[kicknjeep]

OK it is to where it turns a few times but it starts pretty good and revs great, BUT I am thinking the carb may need rebuilding mostly because well it looks like it could use it. second it has a slight hesitation when you hit the throttle. Don't know maybe just too used to throttle bodies. Anyway it is 200% better in all. Thanks TR and everybody for their help...

 

[TeamRush]

OK it is to where it turns a few times but it starts pretty good and revs great, BUT I am thinking the carb may need rebuilding mostly because well it looks like it could use it. second it has a slight hesitation when you hit the throttle. Don't know maybe just too used to throttle bodies. Anyway it is 200% better in all. Thanks TR and everybody for their help...

The 'Hesitation' when you 'Take Off'....
If it does it MUCH worse from a standing start, it's probably not enough accelerator pump shot.

The accelerator pump... Fuel shot... Is adjustable in virtually ALL carbs, and it's a good idea if you RICHEN up your pump shot to see if the problem lesses or goes away.

Your 'hard starting' problem, especially when hot, can be minimized by reducing your INITIAL TIMING SETTING.

Back the Initial timing down to about 6 degrees before TDC, and that should help a bunch when cranking.

See, your factory DuraSpark module had a 'Start' circuit in it that retarded timing when the engine was cranking, trying to start...
Usually from 8 to 12 degrees to make it easier to start when the engine was warm, or very cold.

The HEI module DOES NOT have that timing retard circuit in it, so it's making your engine difficult to start with a lot of initial timing.

 

[kicknjeep]

TR actually haven't driven it yet due to doing interior body work and lack of seating, I was referring to initial start up and it actually has little to no drag anymore upon warm start-up. Just have the little bugs to work out and it is going to kick buttocks . Now back to grinding welds so I can primer the inside tub to get it ready for a liner....

 

[TeamRush]

well......
get grindin'!! :d

 

[kicknjeep]

OMG starting to sound like the 'ol lady


Hey rush would you happen to know where the brake booster vacuum hose connects to the AMC 304 V8?
mine is hooked to a valve on the manifold behind the oil filler and when I try to hook the vacuum from this valve to the dist it kills the motor
( both are on a valve of sorts are from this area).

 

[mylittlecj5]

Wait...your hooking the distributor vacuum advance line to full manifold vacuum?
That is supposed to be hooked to ported vacuum supply off the carb, dude. your advancing the distributor full on, thats why it kills the motor!

 

[CJ]

~~~Hey rush would you happen to know where the brake booster vacuum hose connects to the 304 V8?~~~

It should be hooked to a large port directly to the manifold under the carb.

 

[kicknjeep]

OK here's where I'm at, I have the distributor hooked to the vacuum port on the right bottom of the carb!, now I am reading ( and per CJ) that the brake booster goes to the port on the back of the carb, Is this right? where would the PVC plug into?. Any pics would be helpful. Oh and when I changed the distributor vacuum line out it smoothed out the idle a bit

 

[CJ]

The rule of thumb is, dist is ported to the carb, PCV and brake is full vacuum all the time.

This diagram isn't your exact year (it's later) but it should be close. There are most likely a few things in this diagram you do not have...