3.0 distributor install question

[ElRay]

Picked this 93 3.0 up partially torn apart so I didn't get to mark everything when it was torn down and now I have no clue how to reset the dizzy. My Hanes manual says to mark everything when you take it apart but if your replacing the distributor this will do you no good. (yes it actually says that, but does not give the needed information to do it) And the internet seems to be useless on this one.
Any help will be appreciated. i.e General housing location and rotor direction before and after the drop is all I need.

Thanks in advance,
ElRay

 

[Curious Hound]

I'll try to get you a picture after work tonight. I do remember the rotor will be pointing "not quite perfectly" straight back toward the firewall.

 

[ElRay]

I'll try to get you a picture after work tonight. I do remember the rotor will be pointing "not quite perfectly" straight back toward the firewall.

Awesome! That would be highly appreciated.

 

[Curious Hound]

Here it is. Cylinder #1 is at the back by the firewall. I colored it silver. Second picture, I lined up a pen over top of #5 (front), the center connector and #1 so you can see them lined up front to back and very slightly turned with #1 closer to driver side of the vehicle. That should get you close enough to start.

 

[ElRay]

Thank you sir! That should get me close for sure.

 

[RonD]

???

No mention of crank shaft timing mark being at Top Dead Center(TDC)?

And that it's only a 50/50 chance of being correct, lol
So 50/50 chance of being wrong


You need to find #1 piston TDC on compression stroke first
Pull out #1 spark plug
Put compression gauge in #1 or your finger in the hole
Turn engine clockwise using crankshaft bolt and socket wrench(its good to have ALL spark plugs out for this)

When compression start to go up or your finger starts to get pushed out, that's the compression stroke
Keep turning until crank pulley is at the 0deg TDC mark

NOW you can line up distributors rotor to #1 spark plug wire
Rotor turns when you lower distributor down, because gears are angled, so you may need to pull it back up and turn rotor one tooth in the opposite direction and lower it down again

If distributor doesn't go all the way down that means the oil pump drive is not lined up, not a big deal.
Rotate crank 90deg one way and then 90deg the other way and back to TDC, distributor should have dropped into place
Re-check rotor alignment to #1 on cap
You still need to time the engine with timing light

 

[Curious Hound]

???

No mention of crank shaft timing mark being at Top Dead Center(TDC)?

He indicated that he's reading the Haynes manual. I figured they covered that part.

 

[ElRay]

Yeah, ericbphoto is correct. I was already at TDC. I set that before putting the heads back on.
but thank you for offering up the extra information. Only info you can ever have too much of is wrong info. So I’m not offended.