'74 CJ5 Distributor trouble

'74 CJ5 Distributor trouble""HELP""

My '74 CJ5 was running wierd and as I started getting deeper and deeper into I found that the distributor bolt was not tight and my distributor has been moving out of time. I first noticed the problem when the jeep was losing power as you got over 30mph or was getting on the accelerator. Stumped me for a while , the jeep had a full tune up less than 3mo's prior and is only a weekend warrior and short distance driver. Thought maybe I had a bad wire seeing that I got the cheap ones so I replaced them with borg warner wires. Finally while making sure wires were tight on new dist cap found the shaft to be relatively loose. I tried to adjust it by sound but could not get it right. The question is : How can I tell if my distributor has gone bad and what is the procedure for setting the timing? As it has been more than 20yrs since I set a timing on anything, let alone an AMC 304ci V8 with a 3spd manual transmission. Any in depth help would be appreciated

Well I need more help, normally I should be able to get the vehicle to run by setting distributor/timing by ear but I can't. I can get it to run rough by giving throttle while cranking then keeping throttle half way but it won't run on its own and I have tried to adjust it while doing this. Checked, cleaned and regapped all spark plugs and checked spark, seems ok. A lot of black smoke from the right exhaust and not nearly as much from left. I am at wits end. Does anyone have any suggestions or know a good reliable honest mechanic close to Ft. Sam Houston in San Antonio.

 

You have a timing light? Dwell meter? Tachometer? Set the dwell to spec by adjusting the points gap (start it up, check dwell, shut down, adjust gap, start, check dwell, etc). Adjust the idle to spec. Put the timing light on the #1 plug wire, and put a little white-out or chalk on the spec'd timing mark. Disconnect and plug any vacuum advance. Loosen the distributor clamp bolt. Start the engine and use the timing light to see the chalk mark wrt the timing pointer. Rotate the distributor to align the mark with the pointer. Shut down and tighten the clamp bolt. Reconnect vacuum advance. Adjust idle.

 

Help!!!!!!!!!!!

 

Did you not see timgr's response from 7-25-08? Or do you need steps 1 thru 10 or 15 to clear things up?

 

I can't get it to run on it's own. To start the process of getting it adjusted.

 

You can still set the timing with the engine stopped. http://www.aircooledtech.com/timing/static/

I'd guess you have something else wrong though, if you can't get it to start at all. Do you have spark and gas?

 

yes, both. It will start with throttle and run rough. but will not run on its own

 

This may sound dumb but check to make sure that your spark plug wires are in the right fireing order. Also you may want to make sure that you are TDC on #1 wire. If the dissy is a tooth off or a plug wire is crossed it will cause the problem you are describing.

 

Check the plug wire order. If you have not removed the distributor, then the distributor will still be in the right place, and not a tooth off, as suggested by 1cdcop.

If you can't make it run properly, then you have to start thinking about possible internal problems. If there's something seriously wrong with the engine, you'll never make it better by setting the timing.

 

I am thinking that if you have had the key turned on for an extended length of time, you may have burned the points. Can you look at them and make sure they not pitted? Have you been cranking on this thing a lot and choking the carb? If so you may have diluted the oil causing smoke while trying to run. Do you have a timing light? Did someone wash down the engine getting moisture in the dist cap? Any little recent thing you may have done? MORE INFO THE BETTER.

 

checked the wires and they are in order, according to haynes manual. someone had suggested that the compression could be off and cause this type of problem. previous owner had engine rebuilt about 10k miles ago. he is stationed in germany can't reach to find out if he changed the rings. the grooved line across crank pulley should be timing line correct?

 

At this point I think you need to start at the beginning. Run a compression test (dry). If not ok then run again (wet). This will determine ring and valve condition.