Distributor Issues

[StangLou]

Ok guys, heres the deal. A few months ago I installed a Cobra Upper/Lower intake on the car. I removed the Dist to help out. I marked everything I needed to mark to realign the Dist once installation was complete. When I went to put it back in, it did not just "slip" into place with my marks. Im guessing with all the pushing and pulling me and some buddies did on the bottome set of fuel lines (top set would not budge) we somehow moved the crank. After I got it to go all the way in, I found a fuel line leak and the car has sat ever since. Before the leak was noticed I tried to start it up, but it just kept turning and turning, so Im guessing the Dist is pretty far off.
Does anyone know the correct way to properly align a distributor? I need to get my 5.0 up and running now so I can get my '03 worked on from the little hit and run I was involved in.

Thanks guys!

 

[jrichker]

Take the coil wire out of the distributor. Pull #1 plug, put your finger in the spark plug hole. Have someone crank the engine until it starts to blow air past your finger. Stop cranking, turn the engine by hand (breaker bar on the harmonic balancer bolt, or put the car in gear and push) until the TDC mark on the harmonic balancer lines up with the pointer on the passenger side of the engine. Loose the distributor hold down bolt, remove the clamp, cap and wires, disconnect the wiring harness. Pull the distributor straight up.

The following re-install depends on the engine being lined up as in the previous instructions.
To re-install, turn the distributor rotor to point to #1 cylinder position on the cap. The#1 position is about 11 o'clock if 6 o' clock is the front of the engine. Line the rotor up with it pointing at the #1 spark plug position on the cap and drop it in: you may have to twist the shaft some to get it to engage the oil pump shaft. Then remove the SPOUT connector plug, and use a timing light to set the timing. The SPOUT is the dangling connector on the distributor harness on stangs made prior to 94 and with a computer controlled engine. 10* is stock for most 5.0s' 12*-14* is good for more pep if you are not into NO2 or power adders.

 

[StangLou]

Thanks man, hopefully I can get this bad boy up and running tomorrow!!!