#1 spark plug position on distributor (2024)

Guys
I'm going thru the basics of getting my 62 wagon(226 engine) running. Bought this wagon not running, changed out the VERY sloppy timing chain/gears after knowing that it had more than an 1" of play at midpoint on chain. Since I have no previous experience with this engine, and can't assume what I have is correct, I don't know which wire port on the distributor is the #1 position. I've lined up the crank pully to the pointer at 5 degrees before TDC as per the tech manual, the rotor cap points at aprox. 120 degrees on the distibutor body, zero being the the front of the vehicle , 180 being the firewall, turning in a ccw rotation as per the tech manual/actual rotation of the vehicle's rotor. Meaning, the rotor is pointing to the driver's side of the engine bay. I've arranged the plug wires in the firing order stamped on the head and also referenced in the tech manual. Assuming the #1 position is correct at 120 degrees. Does that sound correct for a #1 plug port position on the distribtor cap?

My concern is that the distributor drive gear may not be positioned correcting. So before I take that apart, is it physically possible the get that drive off 180 degrees? Most of the drives I've delt with are keyed so that one can only put it together correctly. True for the Willys inlne 226 six?

The timing light flashes at other than the stamped markings on the crank pully, making me wonder about the distributors correct position. I'm pretty sure I got the timing chain on correctly, meaning you can't put it on 180 out, given the keys ways position etc. Yes? I'm also pretty sure I got the link count correct to.
Any help would be much appreciated.
Chet

Chet,
As you refferenced in degrees, the #1 spark wire will be at the front (0 degrees) of the distributor cap. Your distributor turns counter clockwise, so when standing in front of the vehicle with the hood up, the #5 wire should be to your right side of the #1.

You say you got the link count (9 of them) correct on timing chain, so at least you know that the timing marks don't line up with each other. All good there.

As far as the distributor drive gear goes, you have to back up a bit. On the 226 the oil pump has the drive gear.

The distributor has what looks like a heavy duty roll pin. If you pull your distributor off (be careful not to break the hold down tab) you will see the top of the main drive shaft (in the head) which fits in to the oil pump. The slot in the top of the drive shaft is offset, so when the piston is at tdc for #1, the offset narrow side should be to the passenger side of the engine and essentially in line with the engine (as in foward and aft).

With all that said, if you rotor is pointing 120 degrees to the driver side when #1 is at tdc, you have something out of whack.

Let me know what you find.

I can send pics of a lot of this stuff if you like, later on.
Steve

Sounds good.
I just went out to one of my defunct engines for some pics, for gee whiz. Oh, and I improperly used the word "roll pin". It's more of a key. My apologies.
Steve

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beewhisper1 said:

So, is it possible to insert the distrib. into the "slot" incorrectly? I.e., 180 degrees out?

Click to expand...

This is a retract. Yes it is possible. I originally said no, but in retrospect, yes, you can put the distro 180 out.

I know you're going to do this, but I'll say it anyway. Before you tear in to the timing chain pump the engine over to tdc (using the pressure/finger method), check where the rotor is and the timing mark, then pull the distro. If the distro wasn't lined up with #1 wire, the slot won't be inline with the engine either. Then it's time to double check the chain.

Also, don't rely completely on that timing mark on the HB. They are prone to slipping when old.

One more thing: if you still aren't sure of what's what before tearing in to the chain, flip the distro 180 and see what happens. It won't hurt anything. ORrrrrrr, move all of the wires over one tower on the cap.

Geeeze, I think I've edited this thing 12 times now.

Good luck. I'll check in Monday.
Steve

OK guys, same subject, different therory. Remember when I wrote that the timing chain had >1" slack at midpoint? That I reinstalled the chain and sprockets with the correct link count? What if the excess slop caused a cog or two jump on the cam sprocket as a result of that excess slack?
My real question is; What is the proper orientation/position of the cam sprocket key way when the crank sprocket is at TDC? I could have wrongly assumed the postion I found them in was correct. If/when I tear into the chain again I'd like to know the correct position of BOTH sprockets.
Many thanks to ANY answer I may recieve.

Chet

Ok, guess I wasn't very clear in my "yes" answer. Let's try this:
Yes, you can get the distributor 180 degrees out, BUT...ONLY if the drive shaft is 180 out. Sometimes folks get in a hurry and don't pay attention to the details. If that offset is to the driver side instead of the passenger side when #1 is at tdc of the compression stroke, it WILL be 180 degrees out.
Sorry for the confusion. I'll be more clear in the future. :mrgreen:

Orientation of Timing Marks/Sprockets:
Remembering that the timing marks are 9 links apart; make sure the engine is at #1 tdc compression stroke. At this stage the crank woodruff key should be straight up. The timing marks on the crank sprocket and the cam sprocket will be "roughly" at the 3:00 / 3:30 position as you look straight at the gears from the front.
Steve

Thanks Steve. I'll let this forum know what it ends up being. Again, future edification. If I had of owned this rig when it"broke" I could assume certain comfortable things. Such is not the case, hence the deep search.
Thanks again for all that helped here. Wish there was a way I could get you a jar of honey (a beekeepers pay back method)

Chet

l226 engine distributor

It is not possible to install the distributor 180 degrees off as the matching shafts are offset slightly. The attached photo shows the approximate positon of the distributor wires when the distributor is correctly installed (upper left image). If you set Number one piston at TDC, and the roter does not point approximately as shown, you may well have installed the timing chain incorrectly. I am assuming that you did not disassemble the distributor. I hope the attachment comes with this reply - the forum is not user friendly

jbco said:

Hello everyone, I have a question related to this thread that I hope one of you guys can answer. Based on the information in this thread as well as the Willys shop manual my distributor is exactly 180 degrees off. The L226 engine runs great but the number 1 plug wire is stretched a little tight due to it being on the rear of the distributor. The question I have is related to the distributor main drive shaft which protrudes through the top of the cylinder head. If I remove my distributor can I simply lift this shaft up through the head, turn it 180 degrees, and drop it back down? Or is the oil pump end of this shaft also keyed/offset like the distributor end and it only fits one way? Thanks for any info any of you may have!

Click to expand...

Hello, As you may have seen, I had a similar issue. You can unbolt and pull the distributor off it's mount and then pull it out of the engine. At that point you will see the top of the slotted drive shaft that runs down into the engine. Now you can pull that shaft out of the engine. (Its about 6-8" long). The bottom end of that shaft is slotted too. And, you can turn it 180 degrees. BUT, if you do, the shaft will sit a different height above the level of the head, (where it sticks out of the engine). The Tech manual tells the reader to position the shaft so that it sticks "proud" of the head by about 1/8". If you do that, you may not be able to get the distributor to seat flush on the head. That's what happened to me.
Better yet, if you are getting the engine run at the distributors current position, do the easy thing. Reroute the spark plug cables so that you have a longer cable on that part of the distributor.
Hope that I haven't dummied this down but having read tech manuals for the past 40 years, one can't get too descriptive is my thinking.
Good luck and let us know how it works out
Chet