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trying to start my motor for the first time after a complete rebuild and the dist is 180 out. What can cause this? its all military with electronic ignition.
Thanks,

A quick check to see if it is actually 180 degrees out would be to remove the cap and see which way the rotor is pointing when the #1 piston at TDC. The rotor should point at that cylinder. Since you state that the system is all original it will be keyed to only go in one way. Is it possible that the distributor shaft was rotated 180 when you changed over from a points to an electronic system? Another possibility is that the gear the distributor shaft rides on was put in 180 out during the engine rebuild, if that's even possible.

How can I tell if the distributor is 180 out? What do I look at to get the proper alignment?
Thanks,

Take out No. 1 spark plug and bump the starter until you feel (with your finger in the spark plug hole) compression. Then line up the timing mark on the damper with the pointer on the timing cover. Then remove the distributor cap and see if the rotor is pointing to the No. 1 spark plug wire position in the cap. If not, you have to remove the oil pump and orient the gear to make the tang on the distributor drive shaft line up with the slot on the oil pump shaft pointing at No. 1 position in the dist. cap. It sounds harder than it is really.

Also make sure your distributor is assembled correctly. I had purchased a "reman" from a vendor when I did my engine. I could not get in to fire. Finally I discovered the distributor shaft was not even engaged in the advance weights. Hence the rotor was way off..Corrected that and it fired right up.

The distributor is out 180. How can I tell what is causing this? Can the dist. be put together 180 out and if so how do I tell it is. TDC it points 1 o'clock
Thanks

If I understand correctly, your saying with #1 at TDC, the rotor is at the one o'clock postion, or #6 cylinder? One and six are at TDC together, so that makes sense. If you rotate the crank 360 again and come back to TDC, where is the rotor? If it comes around to the 7 o'clock position, that is #1. I which case the distributor internals are not amiss.

David,
Im not totally following what you said. When 1 is tdc and you rotate 360 wouldnt it return to the same spot?
Thanks for trying to help me out

The distributor turns 1/2 the speed of the crankshaft. So if #6 is the one o'clock position, when you turn the crank one revolution the distributor rotor will point at seven o'clock. That's why its important to check that number one is at the top of the compression stroke when checking distributor timing. Both #1 and #6 pistons will be at top dead center when the timing mark is lined up on the crank pulley but only one is on the compression stroke. That's why you have to manually check to make sure your on the compression stroke to line it up correctly.
Joe

#1 cylinder is definitely at tdc at 1 o'clock. What do I do to correct this?
Thanks everyone so far

Then it sounds like you need to pull your oil pump and turn the slot in the tang 180 and reinstall it. shine a light down your dist. hole and note the orientation of the slot in the oil pump. When you reinstall the oil pump recheck to be sure it is still oriented the same, (but the offset slot will be offset to the other side) if it isnt, remove the pump again, and turn it a little bit and put it in, catching a different tooth on the cam gear. Check again, if its worse, remove it again and move it the other way, but a bit more than the first time, and try it again. It is trial and error. The manual shows just how to do it but even with that I still end up adjusting it.
Tim

Tim
Thanks for the info. Thats the plan for tomorrow morning hopefully that will be the end of my troubles.
Thanks

A few thoughts, and please correct me if I'm wrong. I wouldn't pull the oil pump as I think the issue is with the internal assembly of the distributor. If indeed it is at TDC #1. Maybe two years ago I totally rebuilt a distributor with new bushings, shaft and Per-Tronics. At the time I noticed because of the off set drive spud (as the old VWs had) the breaker plate/ rotor cam can be installed 2 ways. Now I haven't put the new dizzy in yet but will check the off set against rotor position on both the operating one and the replacement.
Another fast way to do it is just put #1 wire in the #6 position on the cap and follow though with changing them all keeping to the correct firing order.
JMO

Hi Wayne,
That could be. Gerry mentioned that this is after an engine rebuild, so my reasoning is that the oil pump was installed 180 out. If thi was doing work on a prevoiusly running engine I would say that the pump is correct and something else is amiss.
I didnt realize that about the distributor, id Gerry had that apart at the same time it could be that.
Tim

Gerry,
Mr. McCormick pretty much summed it up. Where did the rotor end up when you turned the crank one revolution again? It sounds as if the oil pump or distributor is mechanically out of time? Assuming crank to camshaft timing is correct. I should have been more specific and also stated that #1 must be on the compression stroke as well. Keep us posted