Re: My 392

[jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)]

The aliens commander decided Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided> would make a
perfect specimen for dissection, and he yelled...

>I put my thumb over #8 and we rotated the crank via a 15/16" socket
>until I no longer felt air coming out.  We went a little past "no air". 
>I was under the (wrong?) assumption this would be TDC (at the end of the
>compression stroke?).

Yes... you unfortunately were wrong in that procedure.  You feel for
compression only to verify you are actually on the compression stroke and
not the exhaust stroke.  So one you feel the pressure *start* to build,
there's no point in keeping your finger over the spark plug hole.  You have
verified the compression stroke has started and the crank isn't "180
degrees off."

>I then looked and noted the timing mark was in
>the general vicinity of the degree marks.  I did NOT scrape the balancer
>clean and actually LOOK.  I (again, wrongly) assumed that I just wanted
>to confirm the timing mark was in the "right" location - couldn't it
>have also been 180 degrees off, which might indicate I was NOT on the
>compression stroke, but the exhaust stroke, right?  That's all I
>*thought* was confirming when I looked at the timing mark.

Once you know the number 8 cylinder is on the compression stroke, you turn
your attention to the timing marks.  You rotate the engine so the timing
mark is *exactly* on TDC (or 0 degrees).  Now you are ready to verify the
installation of the distributor, because when the engine is at TDC on the
number 8 cylinder... if it were running... the spark plug would be fired.
This is why the rotor must be pointing *exactly* at the cap terminal
connected to the number 8 spark plug.

>OK, so I was in the "rough" vicinity of 0.. but I didn't LOOK to see if
>it was truly lined up.. just confirmed that it was "near".. the balancer
>mark was in the same "quadrant" as the marks on the engine.

Nope... it must be dead on.  A little error here and a little error there
and you will never start that engine... propane, C4 explosive or not.

>Number 8.. not 1. ;)  I'll try shifting the wires again with this
>newfound knowledge.  I should've figured this out on my own though..
>DUH.. TDC #8, let's fire #1?  Not.

Make sure you find the *exact* number 8 cylinder TDC first, then make sure
you get the rotor is lined up with the cap terminal connected to the number
8 cylinder.  Don't assume the distributor is installed correctly... but at
this point don't remove it unless you find it's wrong.  You don't want to
complicate things for yourself even more. <grin>

I think you'll be surprised how well it's going to run once you get this
basic procedure down the right way!

John L.
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