ok so having a couple issues can't figure out how to get the distributor timed in my 96 jimmy i get cyl.1 to TDC on the compression stroke like the rotor up with the 6 on the base of the distributor which is what my book said to do and i get it to seat in but the rotor rotates about an inch to the right of the 6 mark on the distributor. i have read in here that it may be necessary to rotate the oil pump drive shaft with a screw driver to get it to seat properly and i can't seem to figure out how to do this if any one can help me out any input would be greatly appreciated.

 

Here try this:
http://www.blazinlow.com/forum/showthread.php?t=75289
I just saw that we had our own on this forum:
https://blazerforum.com/forum/tech-articles-diy-29/edi-engine-timing-24373/
Don

 

forget the book for a moment. take a fairly long flathead screwdriver, spark plug socket, and a 1/2" drive ratchet with a socket for the crankshaft bolt. remove the #1 plug, put your finger over the hole and have someone tap the key till you feel the compression build. now put the 1/2" ratchet and socket on the crank bolt and rotate the crank with your screwdriver in the spark plug hole and feel the piston reach max height. you will know when this happens because the piston will briefly feel like it stops moving. this should put your timing mark right at top dead center. i use this method to make up for any slop in the timing chain as excessive play will throw your marks off a couple degrees. mark your distributor housing where #1 comes out of the cap, and point the rotor at the mark. flip the distributor upside-down and compare the oil pump drive to where it's positioned down inside the dist hole in the motor. take your screwdriver and rotate the drive in the motor to match the dist. back the rotor from #1 a little and drop the dist in. if it does not seat, lift it a bit and move it a tooth till it drops in and seats. put it all together and go back to your book and set base timing accordingly. good luck!

 

There is no base timing setting on the EDI distributors used from sometime in '95 up until the end of production. They are timed slightly advanced to begin with which is the reason for the book method of aligning the two marks on balancer with their representative references on the timing cover and engine block. You still have to verify that you are on the compression stroke for #1, but after that, align the two marks and drop the distributor in per the instructions in the links above.

 

thank you very much guys this info was very helpful but im still havin a hard time trying to figure out how to turn this oil pump shaft

 

You need at least an 8" flat blade screwdriver. The object of this is to turn the oil pump shaft slot so it matches the distributor tang once the distributor is in its final resting place which is the small 6 that is part of the dist. body. Once properly aligned, the dist. will drop right in. Remember that your dist. will turn 42 deg. clockwise when you set it in so align the pump shaft to where the dist will point to once seated and not where it points to once you get it in. After reading this and the explanations in the above links, I hope you can make sense of it all.
Don

 

You can use a long straight blade screwdriver. Or what i do is install the distributor in the correct place and it will go down but not all the way. What it lacks is to mesh with the oil pump. I install the bolt and bracket but only run it down and do not tighten it. I then bump the engine over with the starter a few times until the distributor drops down into the oil pump shaft. It works great for me.