8ba backfire

captaintaytay

captaintaytay

Member
I finally got my Bubba distributor and just installed it.
I'am, (well, I was) confident I had it at TDC.
Checked and re-check my work and tried to start it and bang!.
Big backfire. Do you think I'm 180 off?
 
There is a old motor book out there with wrong firing order check Mercury.
Some times 180 out doesn't fire at all.
 
It sounds like it's 180 off. remove no. one spark plug ( front one on drivers side) stick finger in hole, bump starter, when it blows compression out turn engine in the correct rotation to line up timing mark, see if rotor is pointed to no. one in the cap. Walt
 
If you didn't do one wire at a time start over.
TDC the rotor should be at 6 o'clock that's number one go in correct direction for firing order. That 6 o'clock is the ford start #1 and some times marked on cap.
 
JSeery said:
How did you determine TDC?
Click to expand...

Filled a bottle half way with oil and ran a tube to #1 cylinder turned over motor by hand until bubbles started and then went the other way until I got it.
It's on the internet somewhere.I got the link from here.

Anyways, distributor was off 180 degrees.
Put it back at proper place and it fired right up, but noticed a clacking sound.
It was coming from the distributor so I put it at TDC again and pulled the distributor out and noticed the distributor shaft has 1/2" of movement up and down. The ends of the rotor screws were hitting the top of where the condenser wire nuts up to the points. My old distributor does not move that much at all.
I did mount it properly pretty basic, but the shaft movement seem excessive.
 
Walt Dupont--Me. said:
It sounds like it's 180 off. remove no. one spark plug ( front one on drivers side) stick finger in hole, bump starter, when it blows compression out turn engine in the correct rotation to line up timing mark, see if rotor is pointed to no. one in the cap. Walt
Click to expand...

"Front one on drivers side"??
 
captaintaytay said:
Filled a bottle half way with oil and ran a tube to #1 cylinder turned over motor by hand until bubbles started and then went the other way until I got it.
It's on the internet somewhere.I got the link from here.

Anyways, distributor was off 180 degrees.
Put it back at proper place and it fired right up, but noticed a clacking sound.
It was coming from the distributor so I put it at TDC again and pulled the distributor out and noticed the distributor shaft has 1/2" of movement up and down. The ends of the rotor screws were hitting the top of where the condenser wire nuts up to the points. My old distributor does not move that much at all.
I did mount it properly pretty basic, but the shaft movement seem excessive.
Click to expand...

Sounds like you figured it out. With your method when you get the bubbles keep turning it the same direction (normal engine rotation) until the bubbles stop. TDC should be somewhere near.
 
JSeery said:
Sounds like you figured it out. With your method when you get the bubbles keep turning it the same direction (normal engine rotation) until the bubbles stop. TDC should be somewhere near.
Click to expand...

Yes Sir, it worked great.
But still a problem with new distributor.
 
Cross out that (front drivers side) SHOULD BE FRONT PASSENGER SIDE. I've got a cold and was all drugged up, I'll blame it on that. Walt
 
captaintaytay said:
Yes Sir, it worked great.
But still a problem with new distributor.
Click to expand...

Way too much end play, i set them with a shim and run each one on a machine.
Get it back to me , i will fix and return the day i get it back.
Cant imagine how the end p[lay got off that much....

Sorry for any problems ......

Jim at Bubbas
 
Just got the chance to put in my Bubba dizzy that Jim fixed.
This is the first time since I have owned this car that it runs so good.
What a difference! Thanks alot Jim, your a heads up guy and a give great customer service. On to the next phase now.

P.S. Thanks also to "Bruce Lancaster" for great advise.
 
captaintaytay said:
Just got the chance to put in my Bubba dizzy that Jim fixed.
This is the first time since I have owned this car that it runs so good.
What a difference! Thanks alot Jim, your a heads up guy and a give great customer service. On to the next phase now.

P.S. Thanks also to "Bruce Lancaster" for great advise.
Click to expand...

Thanks for the reply , i hate to see a thread of anykind that doest have a closing fix,
The distributor did have a ton of end play , looked like the lower brass bushing had moved upward in the aluminum housing. Beats me how but it did, these are new housings we are using and we will double check them from now on. Thanks again for being patient on the repair.....
 
Another "Jim stands by his work" testimonial. A real gentleman. He walked me through a similar mess awhile back. I later discovered that the problem was the "loose nut behind the wrench" DUH! Thanks from all of us Jim.
 
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