98 k1500 is a mess please help

[Bullpen]

Ok heres the deal. I've already confused many master machanics,
This is a 98 Chevy k1500 with the 350 vortec obviously. I bought this truck as a non running project truck, but never expected this. The old owner thought that he could put a manual stick shift tran in it. Of course he seccesfuly bolted it up but left the wiring harness dangle. I put every thing back original but truck still ran terrible. I changed the fuel pump, filter and spider assimbly. Fuel pressure is now 62 lbs key on engine off. It's about 56 running with vary little fluctuation under throttle. As far as I know that's good so I moved on to timing. I knew I could not time it with out a scanner so I took it in. On pick up the mechanic told me when he put the dizzy in my cam retard was off by over 40*. He pulled it back out and moved it one tooth back and then had to crank cap as much as possible and even then could only get it within 8 to 10*. This lead me to believe my timing chain must be off a tooth right. But surprise surprise when I pulled the cover it's dead on timing wise. How is this possible? I know it's an after market dizzy. This one doesn't have a brand on it anywhere but the cap is blue and the rest is made of metal. Is it possible the old owner put a dizzy out of a 4.3 in it but bought the right cap? Could the drive gear on the bottom be on upside down?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated as well as save the rest of the hair on my head
Thanks in advance
Jim

[j cAT]

if the timing cannot be set correctly with the proper tools then the distributor is wrong/defective. purchase a new one and see if you can get it to run better. then have the timing set.

to replace the automatic with a manual is alot of work and PCM controls programing is changed not a good idea unless you have all the proper info to complete this. I bet you got this vehicle for only a few dollars.

with what you stated the previous owner had no idea what he was doing. most all repairs shops will not touch anything like this.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Bullpen

Ok heres the deal. I've already confused many master machanics,
This is a 98 Chevy k1500 with the 350 vortec obviously. I bought this truck as a non running project truck, but never expected this. The old owner thought that he could put a manual stick shift tran in it. Of course he seccesfuly bolted it up but left the wiring harness dangle. I put every thing back original but truck still ran terrible. I changed the fuel pump, filter and spider assimbly. Fuel pressure is now 62 lbs key on engine off. It's about 56 running with vary little fluctuation under throttle. As far as I know that's good so I moved on to timing. I knew I could not time it with out a scanner so I took it in. On pick up the mechanic told me when he put the dizzy in my cam retard was off by over 40*. He pulled it back out and moved it one tooth back and then had to crank cap as much as possible and even then could only get it within 8 to 10*. This lead me to believe my timing chain must be off a tooth right. But surprise surprise when I pulled the cover it's dead on timing wise. How is this possible? I know it's an after market dizzy. This one doesn't have a brand on it anywhere but the cap is blue and the rest is made of metal. Is it possible the old owner put a dizzy out of a 4.3 in it but bought the right cap? Could the drive gear on the bottom be on upside down?
Any advice will be greatly appreciated as well as save the rest of the hair on my head
Thanks in advance
Jim

The dist shoul be for a 8 cyl with 8 notckes/lobes on shaft
If the dist can not be timed right remove it and turn the gear 190 degrees.
The put it back in with no 1 piston TDC compression and with the rotor pointing to no 8 on dist base.

Start it up and use scan tool to set cam retard to 0 degrees.

[Bullpen]

When you say 8 notches what are you refering to. To my knowledge the dost. For the 4.3 vortex is the same with the exception of the cap and the plate under the rotor that the cam position sensor reads. If this is true could the plate under the rotor be the one for the 4.3 and he put the 8 cylinder cap on it. I don't know if that us even possible. Also when you say pull the gear off and turn it 190* what do you mean. If I understand what your saying is pull the pin and spin the gear an the shaft without moving the shaft until the other hole on the gear lines up and replace pin. Is this right if do mean something else. Thanks again i need any and all ideas

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Bullpen

When you say 8 notches what are you refering to. To my knowledge the dost. For the 4.3 vortex is the same with the exception of the cap and the plate under the rotor that the cam position sensor reads. If this is true could the plate under the rotor be the one for the 4.3 and he put the 8 cylinder cap on it. I don't know if that us even possible. Also when you say pull the gear off and turn it 190* what do you mean. If I understand what your saying is pull the pin and spin the gear an the shaft without moving the shaft until the other hole on the gear lines up and replace pin. Is this right if do mean something else. Thanks again i need any and all ideas

Correction.
6 and 8 dist are the same.

Point the rotor to the no 8 on dist base top dead center compression stroke on no one cylinder.

If dist will not line up and set right remove gear on bottom and rotate it 190 degrees.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

Correction.
6 and 8 dist are the same.

Point the rotor to the no 8 on dist base top dead center compression stroke on no one cylinder.

If dist will not line up and set right remove gear on bottom and rotate it 190 degrees.

Are these distributors NOT like all the other Chevy V-8 distributors where the divot in the gear is intended to line up with the tip of the rotor, but can be installed 180 off if a person isn't paying attention?

Looking at the gear in relation to the rotor should be easy enough.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Schurkey

Are these distributors NOT like all the other Chevy V-8 distributors where the divot in the gear is intended to line up with the tip of the rotor, but can be installed 180 off if a person isn't paying attention?

Looking at the gear in relation to the rotor should be easy enough.

A different dist rebuilt or used can be indexed wrong on gear to shaft .
if dist does not set up right like 5-10-15 degrees off on camshaft retard.
Just turn gear 190 degrees.
One way or another sets the rotor at a different angle.

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

A different dist rebuilt or used can be indexed wrong on gear to shaft .
if dist does not set up right like 5-10-15 degrees off on camshaft retard.
Just turn gear 190 degrees.
One way or another sets the rotor at a different angle.

Are you sitting engine to no 1 TDC compression stroke before dropping in dist?

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by MT-2500

A different dist rebuilt or used can be indexed wrong on gear to shaft .
if dist does not set up right like 5-10-15 degrees off on camshaft retard.
Just turn gear 190 degrees.
One way or another sets the rotor at a different angle.

Photos of a large-cap HEI; far as I know the small-cap variations for a Chevy V-8 are similar.

Alignment divot on gear, just below pin hole.


Rotor tip should be in-line with divot and pin hole.


SO: Assuming that the distributor in question has the same kind of alignment divot on the gear, and ASSUMING THAT THE GEAR IS MADE CORRECTLY, it would be a piece of cake to determine if the gear is installed correctly. I make no promises on distributors and replacement parts knocked-off by the Damned Chinese--who have a proven history of managing to screw up virtually any product imaginable.

It is NOT possible to remove and reinstall the gear 190 degrees off, although 180 off is a possibility. IF (big IF) the gear is 180 off, the alignment is affected by 1/2 of a gear tooth. 360 / number of gear teeth X 1/2 = misalignment (solution is in distributor degrees--crankshaft degrees would be double that figure.) I don't remember how many teeth are on a Chevy V-8 distributor gear, but--for example--if there are 14 teeth, 360 / 14 = 25.7 degrees. The misalignment is 1/2 of a tooth, so "about" 13 distributor degrees or 26 crankshaft degrees.

[Bullpen]

I cant seem to get home in time to have any day light left now days but I am going to get out there and pull the dizzy out and check asap. I have had this thing out and in over a ten times but never took a good look at the gear. I did look at the teeth and they apear to be brand new. I also looked for a white paint line like i have read about in the base timing procedare and this distrubitor does not have any thing like that. Im still new to the forums and just joined last night so still not sure how this all works, with that said if we can keep this post going and you keep giving good advice I will take a pic of this dizzy as soon as i can a post on here. Thanks again to everyone

[Bullpen]

One more little piece of info I forgot to mention. This distributor doesnt have any thing stamped into the housing under the cap. It does have a small triangle or point molded into the housing and from the pics i found this is where I should see either an 8 or a 6 depending on the motor its intended for but this one has no numbers what so ever unless im looking in the wrong place,

[MT-2500]

Originally Posted by Bullpen

One more little piece of info I forgot to mention. This distributor doesnt have any thing stamped into the housing under the cap. It does have a small triangle or point molded into the housing and from the pics i found this is where I should see either an 8 or a 6 depending on the motor its intended for but this one has no numbers what so ever unless im looking in the wrong place,

There should be two triangles.
One 6 cyl and one 8 cyl.
The one for no 8 cyl looking down from top will be on right side closes to sensor.
Your dist rotor should be right on it when no one piston is at TDC compression stroke.
And dist cap will set on dist without hitting anything with a little clearance to turn it right or left.

[Schurkey]

Originally Posted by Bullpen

I know it's an after market dizzy. This one doesn't have a brand on it anywhere

Originally Posted by MT-2500

There should be two triangles.
One 6 cyl and one 8 cyl.
The one for no 8 cyl looking down from top will be on right side closes to sensor.
Your dist rotor should be right on it when no one piston is at TDC compression stroke.
And dist cap will set on dist without hitting anything with a little clearance to turn it right or left.

Would an aftermarket distributor have the OEM-style stampings?