I was a little confused when i took off my distributor cap. I brought cylinder #1 to TDC. (Lined up the mark to 0 on the Crank) and then i marked where the cylinder number one terminal from the cap was. I was expecting the rotor to be pointing at terminal one. But it was pointing between 5-4. My question is shouldnt the rotor be right on the cylinder 1 terminal when cylinder #1 is at TDC. The engine runs fine, the idle couldnt be any smoother, being a 3.8 usually many people have problems with rough idles but it idles great. It doesnt seem to have as much power as it use to before. Im guessing that is the reason why.

sounds like perhaps you brought the marks up 180 degrees off, when the piston was on the exhaust stroke....if the car was that far off regarding the timing, it probably wouldn't run at all, let alone idle smoothly.

Hmm, ur saying the Crank Pully has 2 marks 180 degress apart? I'll have to recheck that, because thats wat i was thinking, how could it run so well and smooth if the timing looked like it was SO off.
So if cylinder #1 was at TDC the rotor should be pointing to terminal # 1 right?

try this...turn the engine till the rotor is pointing at #1 cylinder, and see where your marks are...on some cars there can be more than one mark, depending on how its timed...

What stroker is saying is, in a 4 stroke engine the piston is at top dead center two times during the complete cycle and you probably lined up on top dead center for the exhaust stroke which is the OTHER time the piston is there. If you were to continue to turn the engine until that piston came up to TDC again, then looked at the distributor you would probabl find it lined up pretty close to that corrosponding piston's cap terminal. Remember also, that spark timing is advanced, so you will be near the terminal, not dead on.....

ok i hear advancing timing adds a little more HP sometimes. Would that be a matter of loosening the distributor and turning it slightly, or does that mean that the camshaft has to be slightly ahead of the crank??

Hi Speedy, hello All

Try this link Yes, see the above link. Other than factory/camgrinders recommendations, changes in camshaft settings are determined by dynomometer sheets and/or timeslips. See the above link.

Define your goal.
Then you'll be able to work out and execute a plan, involving an engine swap, or compression, cam, and fuel delivery in your present engine, and probably more money than you'll want to spend.

Regards, Norm