Need Help Timing a 1993 4.3l

[Smith]

1993 C1500 with 4.3l V6

When Timing this engine at TDC on cylinder 1, what direction or where should the rotor be pointing? Should it be pointing approximately between Cylinder 1&3? Did a head gasket change and only spend about 30 minutes trying to time the truck and had to leave but still in that 30 minutes we couldn't get it timed. Any tips or tricks with this engine?

 

[volunteerff21]

Should be pointing more towards #1. If it's kind of in the middle of 1 and 3 it might be a tooth off.

Are you familiar with the timing bypass wire on these engines??

 

[kennythewelder]

It sounds like you are off 1 tooth on the distributor. It should be pointing mostly to #1 on the cap. It is very easy to get off 1 notch when re stabbing the distributor. As you know from stabbing it, it turns when you restab it. If it has done this, you will also need to realign the oil pump shaft that stabs into the bottom of the distributor shaft. You will need to take a long screwdriver and turn the oil pump shaft a little counter clockwise so it will line up with the distributor when you restab it. Once you restab the distributor, and it is in the correct place, be sure you have oil pressure once the truck starts. If not, then the oil pump shaft is not stabbed correctly. You will have to do the job all over again. I have an old distributor that I have grinded the teeth off of, to align the oil pump shaft. So after I install the old distributor with no teeth, I can rotate the rotor, so I know the oil pump shaft will line up.

 

[Smith]

So Cylinder 1 needs to be at TDC. Then insert distributor making sure that the Rotor is pointing where the spark plug wire for cylinder 1 plugs into the cap? Just wanting to make sure I have this correct? Also making sure the brown computer timing wire is unplugged?

Thanks Guys

 

[kennythewelder]

Yes on the brown wire. The rotor should point to #1 once the distributor is stabbed, so you will need to have it pointing towards # 8 some, so that once it rotates when stabbing, it will point to # 1. Here is a video on an old 350, but you can see what I am talking about with the oil pump shaft, and notice how rotor turns as the distributor is installed. The same thing happens with yours. The brown wire just needs to be disconnected for ignition timing, with a timing light once the truck is running. Just ignore the part about the vacuum advance.

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[kennythewelder]

The 4.3L and the 5.7 L distributor replacement is the same, but forgive my post talking about pointing the rotor at #8, in your case it would be #6. Here is another video.

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[kennythewelder]

Here is one on a 4.3L vortec.

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[superj]

where is the brown wire? a buddies got a 4.3 and he wants to check his time and reset it if needed. he recently go hte truck and its not doing well, like timing jumped

 

[kennythewelder]

In the cab, passengers side, up under the dash. Look on YouTube, trimming a 1993 4.3 L

 

[kennythewelder]

Check this video out.

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