Also reset my distributor vac position, as test drive with radiator engine was pinging a bit on hard acceleration, and I could not drop my timing back enough without getting into the power steering belt.
I looked at this last year, but seemed it would not work as PS pump was too close. Maybe new belts or something cleared a little more room as it worked today.
Simple procedure - Set a marker on any part of the cap or plug wires, keeping everything in place just like you run it, then make a second reference point just like the first on the next plug wire. Now loosen the distributor and turn the whole distributor until you line up on the second mark, just one plug away from the first. At this point you will pull your #1 wire off the cap, and move it back to where it was before you turned the distributor.
So to clarify my process, I made my reference point, loosened the distributor and turned it one plug wire counter clockwise, which moved my vac advance down towards the power steering pump. I then took my #1 wire (the actual one going to plug #1) and moved it clockwise to the hole that is now where my #1 used to be. I continued moving one wire at a time clockwise until I was back at my #1.
Can be confusing, but remember, you DO NOT remove the cap, you DO NOT remove the distributor!
All you are doing is turning the distributor by one plug wire distance, then resetting your wires back to the original position they would have been at, when looking down at the cap from above.
Starting position of my vac advance. See how it is under the power steering belt?
20230924_120607 by
Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
End position of vac advance after turning one plug wire counter clockwise.
See I marked a #1 with black marker on the cap? The original position of my #1 was the next one to the right, which has the #1 formed on the cap.
20230930_141025 by
Scott Weckerly, on Flickr
'81 CJ5 Base, 258 I6, MC2100, T176 4 spd, 300 TC, D30 Front NT, 3.31, 2-Piece AMC 20 rear NT, 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
'84 Grand Wagoneer, 401 V8 (.030 over), Edelbrock clone 1406, 727 auto, Selec-trac NP229, AMC 20 REAR - D44 FRONT - WT 3.31, 4" high arc spring lift
Rather be driving, than waiting to be modified