Tips when installing a distributor

[Jim Wright]

So for all you dyi guys here are a few tips I use to make job a little easier. Especially, if like me, you work alone with no help. First take a 1/2 or 13mm boxend wrench and cut down long enough to turn lock down bolt on distributor without hitting firewall. Saves a lot of cussing. Second I took a old spark plug, removed the porcelain, hollowed it out and inserted a piece of hose that fit tight into the hollowed out plug. Then I took a piece of tubing and inserted into the hose for a tight fit. Stuck a Ballon on end and it worked great for finding TDC on compression stroke #1piston. Lastly Givin the God awful place they put distributor on 2.9 engine it is hard to line up rotor with #1 on cap. What I do is tape a piece straw off a broom stick to the distributor housing lined up with # 1 on cap before installing into motor. Make sure it sticks up high enough to hit the height of the pointer on rotor. Am going to try to add pics.
Have a nice holiday. Jim

 

[19Walt93]

Or you could buy a distributor wrench.

 

[alwaysFlOoReD]

Or you could buy a distributor wrench.
View attachment 86550

Let's not bring ready made tools into this...