What is the correct "clocking" for a 360 distributor?

[OldGuy]

What is the correct "clocking" for a 360/390 (460?) engine's distributor?

I have noticed that the vacum advance on my distributor is jammed right up on to the small hose coming out of the top of my water pump, with no more room for adjustment. I would say that it is at the 7:30 - 8 o'clock position. (if you look at it like a clock face).

I have noticed this on other photos I have seen of the same motor, but I have also seen photos where the vacum advance is at the 6 o'clock position or less.

Is this a problem with my engine's timing chain? Is this normal? Can it be "re-clocked" to the 6 o'clock position to give me better control over timing?

Hopefully I am not comparing with wrong engines.

Here's mine:


Here's a few example pics from the galleries (Hope nobody minds me showing their pic!):

[FORDification]

That just means someone has installed your plug wires into the distributor cap one tower off (in a circular pattern). Remove/replace each one, moving them back one tower (clockwise), then loosen the distributor and rotate it CCW a little bit, and then retime it.

The best way to make sure you have them correct is to rotate the engine around to TDC on the compression stroke for the #1 cylinder, and line up the timing mark on the harmonic balancer. Then loosen the distributor and rotate it around to where the vacuum canister is about mid-way in it's available adjustment. Pop the distributor cap and see which tower the rotor is pointing to. That's where the #1 spark plug wire should be inserted, and then each plug wire gets inserted back into the proper firing order in a CCW direction. Then retime it, of course.

[OldGuy]

That just means someone has installed your plug wires into the distributor cap one tower off (in a circular pattern). Remove/replace each one, moving them back one tower (clockwise), then loosen the distributor and rotate it CCW a little bit, and then retime it.

The best way to make sure you have them correct is to rotate the engine around to TDC on the compression stroke for the #1 cylinder, and line up the timing mark on the harmonic balancer. Then loosen the distributor and rotate it around to where the vacuum canister is about mid-way in it's available adjustment. Pop the distributor cap and see which tower the rotor is pointing to. That's where the #1 spark plug wire should be inserted, and then each plug wire gets inserted back into the proper firing order in a CCW direction. Then retime it, of course.

Hi FORDification,
Thanks for the simple solution. I guess that many things can happen over the 37 years the truck as been on the road. I will try moving the wires back one tower and see what happens.

[Hawkrod]

Moving the wires will solve the problem but may not be right. Ford caps are marked with a 1 for cylinder #1. If yours is hooked up correctly that means the distributor has been mis-installed. Unless you are really anal, moving the wires and readjusting the timing will work just fine but the only way to fix it would be to remove the distributor and clock it back. Truthfully, that would be more work than it is worth and I would only do it if the dist was coming out for some other reason. Don't fix what really isn't broke! Hawkrod

[rjewkes]

I got anal about it and took an engine with only a tiny carb(choke) problem and ended up with no power at all just by trying to reclock it.

[Ranchero50]

It's not right like that if you can't get the timing set. Resetting the dizzy is pretty simple, but can get ugly if the oil pump drive shaft comes out with the distributor. I remove the cap and distributor hold down, then twist the rotor counterclockwise while lifting the dizzy up. If you are carefull you'll feel the rotor gear go over the top of the cam gear, set it back down with the new gear mesh and twist the distributor counter clockwise the same amount the rotor moved. Put the holdown and rotor back on and start it up. Reset the timing and you are done.

The bad, Sometimes the oil pump drive shaft comes out of the oil pump and you have to fish it out with a magnet if it didn't fall the whole way or even pull the motor to get the oil pan off to retrieve it. I've had to silicone the drive shaft into the dizzy before because the retaining clip was installed upside down during reassembly. Usually you'll hear it drop into the pan, if not you can put it together and when you start it you won't have oil pressure...

If it goes well it's a half hour job, if it goes bad it take a while to get back together.
Jamie

[willowbilly3]

Ford had the vacuum port pointing straight ahead, that's where I like to see them.

[Redcap]

Ford had the vacuum port pointing straight ahead, that's where I like to see them.

Gives tons of room for adjustment too.