2nd gen rotor alignment?! 6or#1cylinder??
 

I have tried getting my 2000 blazer Ls 4x4 started for two weeks now, I took out the old Distributor bc I was fixing all issues and trying to have it show “0” when scanned, I got to the point where it would show random misfire every so often not blinking the CEL, so I checked Distributer- melted rotor, got a new complete distributor that has not been used from my grandfather that had it for a 98 that was given to my cousin that he never installed, I dropped it in the same way the old one was (first time messing with a distributor at all & I did not mark anything at all) :/ ... well it started up... I drove to my buddys bc I always test drive close to home before going out with it. We notice when I was showing him the cold air intake I just got that the distributor was LOOSE .. I tightened the hold down clamp by hand then with a wrench that wasn’t an exact fit bc none I had would fit , well I think I know how to get to tdc on compression stroke but Iv read all over that the rotor must point to #1 cylinder AND then also that it must point to the 6 on the distributor housing... which one is correct if it’s installed properly?! Please help my blazer is my baby even my wife is jealous but now we’re both torn bc our noble steed is not running:/.
- if someone could tell me they’re exact story detailing everything when they successfully installed a EDI distributor on a blazer I would forever be in your debt!
- I have just hit 100,000 miles if anyone asks, I no longer have a code reader, no shop, pretty much broke , AND I have altogether three distributors, two new rotors, like 4good caps.... kinda got prepared bc I’m a junkyard rat lol. PLEASE HELP

you need to get the number one cylinder to top dead center on the compression stroke. There’s a couple of different ways to do this. Remove the spark plug from the number one cylinder which is the most forward cylinder on the driver side. Turn the engine over by hand at the crank pulley until you can feel compressed air pressurizing the cylinder with your finger over the hole. This tells you you’re coming up the top dead center on the compression stroke. I like to verify top dead center with a wooden dowel in the spark plug hole resting on top of the piston, there are other methods.

then you’ll line distributor rotor with the number six mark on the distributor housing. You start the rotor a head of the mark because it will rotate clockwise as the gears engage and the distributor bottoms out. When the distributor hits the bottom the shaft key needs to engage with the oil pump and sometimes everything is not in the right position exactly. If that’s the case take out the distr look down the hole and engage a long screwdriver in the oil pump slot and Jockey it around until everything will align and the distributor drops in the place. The way to verify that you’ve nailed it is to look at CMP retards on a scanner once the truck starts.

George

The Tech Article (DIY) section is quite helpful. I have compiled a list of all of the tech articles in that section --> Tech Article (DIY) Index. In that section is a thread entitled EDI Engine Timing which lays out the full FSM procedure for getting things lined up properly.

*Moving to 2nd Gen Tech*

Even better.

George

thanks! im having to jump it off every time im ready to start it on top of it being in a buddys driveway and not home , im hoping the next time i get to it i can get it right, im going to sell my 1990 blazer 4x4 two door 4.3 if i cant to pay for a shop to get it & do it. which iv never had to do 😔

ah this is definitely handy thanks!!😌

If you want to be able to do your own repair work you should get decent scanner capability with some advanced capability like CMP retard.. In the day, you needed an expensive professional scanner for this but this forum is filled with good low cost suggestions. Les Myers is one of the experts here. He turned me on to Android/bluetooth/low cost software solutions years ago.

George

so i got my blazer started , and drove it home to so itd at least be here, but it’s misfiring, backfiring , the rotor on the distributer is new and the distributor itself is nearly new,the caps good i guess...i have 5caps 2new rotors, 3distributors.. is it possible to havd not gotten all the way to proper TDC or be a tooth off or something? i check my plug wires theyre wwhere they should be..should i mark this distributor & try one i have thats unused? i tested a distributor i pulled out of a zr2 s10 that had a new rotor an cap bc the gear didn’t look eat up whatsoever...
https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/blazerf...235146803.jpeg

If you examine the distr and its gear and end play and all looks well, thats unlikely your problem. The cam sensor, its connector or the wiring could be bad. Looking at CMP retard with a scanner can help you with that

Check the distr for carbon traces indicating a large timing error.

Start the truck in the dark and mist around with water looking for arcing.

Check the quality of the spark at a plug end - 1" of strong blue spark

You could have jumped a timing gear tooth or your harmonic balancer may have shifted that why I recommend confirming #1 tdc in the cylinder but you can compare. Again CMP retard can help here

Use the last known good distr and cam sensor, go over the wiring, distr cap, wires and reset the distr to tdc. Scan for codes and then look at live data while running, I can give you guidance here. A simple test would be to shift the distr one tooth each way and start it up to see if it gets better.

George

This may be a stupid question, but are you sure the wires are on correctly? IIRC, there are two wires on the driver's side that are "crossed" from where you would think they would go.

I didn't read the whole thread so I'm sorry if this has already been asked.