LUVTruck.com

Let me start by saying, I'm an idiot, i should have just taken the truck down to the auto electric guy and got the pertronix installed for $25.

So i got everything installed and went to screw in the last screw to hold the ground down, that's when i dropped it in to the little hole i have circled in red. I don't know if it's bad that i dropped it in there, but i'm assuming that it is and i cannot get it out of there for the life of me. How in the hell do i take that cover off and remove the screw?

Follow up question, i went ahead and assembled the rest of the distributor after i jacked around with a magnetic tipped screwdriver trying to remove said screw that i dropped. The truck started just fine and when slowly accelerated the engine ran good, however when i mash on the gas pedal, it cut out backfired and almost dies. I have a feeling i might have messed up the timing when digging for that screw? Or perhaps the screw is messing up the timing? Before i even started the electronic ignition install the truck was running GREAT with the original points. The truck was responding fine to slow, steady acceleration and hammering on the gas pedal as well. Any help would be fantastic. Thanks for the help.

I'm an idiot.

You are going to need to remove your distributor and tip it upside down. That is the reality.

The unfortunate part of that reality is that if you put it back one-tooth-off, your truck won't run. Well, it might, but it really won't want to.

More specifically, unless you get the teeth of the gear at the bottom of the distributor column(lower left http://bit.ly/R7wO9y) to match up with the distributor drive gear in the block(http://bit.ly/1nnL0Ge (not a luv engine pictured)) exactly as they were, you will have to trial-and-error your way back to a running truck by advancing 1 tooth or retarding 1 tooth. Heh.

And starting the engine with a loose bolt in the distributor is more of a good metaphor than a good idea.

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75 Mikado G180/4sp Desert Tortoise

Well I can barely see the head of the screw that I drop down in there, I guess I will be trying to find a magnet small enough to get down there tomorrow at O'Reilly's. As far as the timing goes do you think I got it all jacked up Digging a screw driver around in there? Hopefully nothing worse.....

you really, really, really need to borrow a timing light and make sure that the timing is correct. Permanent engine damage could result from running it with the wrong timing.

This is a 1.8 G180Z engine. The end of the distributor shaft is offset & fits into the drive gear, it will only go in two ways- correct & 180 degrees out, you can't get it off one tooth as long as the gear down in the oil pan is installed correctly (which it must be if it was running before). Before you pull the distributor to dump the screw out rotate the engine to #4 TDC on the compression stroke. To get it to #4TDC put the mark on the timing cover to 0 degrees, the engine is either at #4 TDC or #1 TDC. If the camshaft-to-sprocket alignment dowel (the dowel, not the keyway) is straight up it's at #4 TDC, if it's straight down it's at #1 TDC (you have to lift the valve cover to see the cam gear). To get from #1 TDC to #4 TDC rotate the crank one full revolution back to 0 degrees. Once you are to #4 TDC put an alignment mark on the distributor body and the mounting bracket and the adjacent head. Now you can lift the distributor out & retrieve the screw, if it turns just match your marks & drop it back in.
After you get your screw back & while you have the valve cover off (and the engine is cold) would be a good time to adjust the valve lash (this needs to be done every 15.000 miles). Then when you get it up to temperature set the initial timing with a light. With the emissions deleted (and the bigger carb) you should be able to get by with several degrees more advance than stock, when it starts pinging under load back it off a bit & you're good to go.

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'78 Chevy LUV,1.9,4sp,headers,31's,SAS Dana 30,Dana 20,SOA rear w/Aussie Locker, rough body, bought new 12/4/78.
'87 Trooper,2.3,5sp,headers,31's,ball joint flip & spacer,Aussie Locker rear,Superwinch hubs,brush guard w/5.5K winch,more to come.

Wow... that's a lot of information to digest and I think only understood about 20% of it. But I did end up taking the distributor of and getting the screw out, I appreciate the 180 degree part, it made sense when I got the distributor off. I got it back on and it started first turn so I guess I got lucky! I'm still having the same problem that with light acceleration the truck works fine but if you mash on the gas pedal it bogs down in nearly dies. I believe my timing is off, & I do not have the tools or know how to get the timing on. I am going to take it to the auto electric guy in the morning. Timing is the only thing I can think of, unless somehow my carburetor settings got thrown off when I was messing with my distributor?

Follow up, I am interested in this adjustment that must take place every 15,000 miles.

I stand corrected, thanks Oldestisuzuist.

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75 Mikado G180/4sp Desert Tortoise

As you have found out R&R the distributor is quite easy on the Luv. I have an even easier way---just carefully look at the position of the distributor body in the engine, look at or make a mark where the rotor is pointing, then replace in the same position. Of course recheck the timing when done.
If the correct timing does not correct the missfire problem you may have to remove or delete the ignition resistor on the coil. Probably the instructions would explain this though.