Today I FINALLY installed the distributor that D.I. reworked for me. I had to wait until I didn't have to be at either of my jobs for a couple of days.

Okay, so I carefully observed the position of the current dizzy before I started. Then I removed the dizzy cap, removed the dizzy, and after I attached the plate thing that helps hold it in place, I bolted in the new dizzy, and reinstalled the cap. The cap was fairly new.
When I try to start it, it backfires through the carb, and acts like the timing is way off. I'm pretty sure that the new dizzy is in almost exactly the same place as the old one, and I didn't remove any of the spark plug wires. What the heck did I do?
I can mess with it later tonight, or most of the day tomorrow.
Lemme know bros. Please!!!
Thanks, thanks, thanks!!!

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"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

And the rotor is pointed exactly where it was inside the dizzy when it was reinstalled?

CJ

Oops!
I was just reading through an old post, and I think that this is the problem.
The rotor is the one thing that I didn't check on.
So, I guess now I need to pull the dist and reinstall it.
Thanks CJ!
Any suggestions?

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"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

Pull the plugs, line up top dead when the TDC mark comes up after the intake valve closes. You should be able to see the rocker through the oil fill cap.

When you are on TDC, line the rotor up with #1's plug wire on the cap. As the distributor drops in it will turn. Make up for that as you drop it in. Adjust as necessary.



CJ

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Part of Tyrde-Browne Racing

Yup, and see here.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Thanks CJ!
And thank you Dan!
I'll mess with it in the morning, it's dark now, and guests are on the way.
Thanks again guys, I'll post tomorrow about how it goes.

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"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

Sounds like you have everything on the up and up. Just an FYI for others reading, before removing distributor, roll the engine over with the dizzy cap off and make sure the rotor is in the #1 (4 o clock) position, check your timing mark/tab (if accurate)... then pull your dizzy, putting it back in will be easy after that (and easy if you need to roll the timing mark back to "X" BTDC from it's previous setting.

-D.Idiot

Okay, per the method that Dan posted (thanks again Dan!), I just got a very loud bang after I had advanced the rotor. So I need to advance it more is what I'm thinking, right?
Back at it...

_________________
"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

Okay, I just advanced it one more tooth, and she started. Barely. Didn't run very well, but at least I'm headed in the right direction.
At least it didn't go bang.

_________________
"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

Okay, I'm definitely real close. She started, and I drove her down the street. Sounds good, even though its uncommonly cold for the Houston area.
I'll probably do a little more tweaking, but I want to thank you guys for the help, I really needed it.
Happy New Year!

Now, about that lack of manifold heat...

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"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

You're almost there, timing and carb settings are a juggling act... when you change one, the other may need some "adjustment"... make sure to check your plugs every so often as the timing might be nice, but the carb may be too rich or lean depending on how much change we introduced from your original distributor settings/advance...

There are days where I wish I had won the lottery so i could just grab a plane ticket and "install and tune" and deliver the distributors to the customer...Oh well, I won't be quitting my day job yet.



-D.Idiot

Hoorah! I love it when a plan comes together. Now that it's running, you can put a timing light on it and figure out if you're definitely on the right tooth, then adjust the base timing where you want it.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

The older ones (like my 70's darts, my 80's 225 truck is different) have a hold-down tab that only has an inch or so of adjustment in the slot. This can make it a pain in the butt to get going if it needs lots of twisting- you have to pull it each time you get to the end of travel and skipping a tooth might not get you to a happy place. I like to pull it and make the bolt that holds the hold-down plate to the distributor body only hand tight. That way you can twist it to your heart's content and when you're close you can pull it and tighten the plate well with a socket (mark the hold down to block bolt location first!).

If you do this make sure it is pretty snug- you want to be able to turn it but if it is at all loosey goosey you will lose your place when you go to pull it to tighten the plate.

Good luck!

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madam im adam

Update: After a little more tweaking, and using my decidedly non-scientific ignition timing adjustment method (I gots no timing light), I'm pretty much at the sweet spot. I've made a few trips in the Volare today, and I can feel that the acceleration is noticeably better than it was with the original distributor. I'll pull the spark plugs tomorrow and see what they look like.

By the way, the distributor that was in there may be the original one from '78. I've changed the cap and rotor several times, but not the distributor.

Anyway, thanks again for the help guys. Life is good again!

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"Ja, Ich fahre ein altes auto."
'78 Volare 225
'67 Charger 318

Your flying blind w/o a timing light. You can still be several degrees off and have it drive decently. They can be purchased relatively cheap - kragen.com shows one at $40.