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All 1970 Ford 302
and 351 Windsor V-8s are easy to perform
the basic tune-up.
The firing order of the 302 is
1-5-4-2-6-3-7-8. The 351 is
1-3-7-2-6-5-4-8.
Both engines take the same spark plugs,
points, and condenser if equipped with
the original single point distributor.
Because of the state of current engines,
the distributor with points and a
condenser has become somewhat of a lost
art to many. There isn't any magic to it.
The equipment needed, other than tools,
are:
1. Timing light.
2. Dwell meter.
3. Spark Plug gapper. The most common is
the round metal disk with gradient
measurements, sort of like a round single
feeler gauge.
4. Remote starter switch. This is a
device that connects between where the
positive battery cable connects to the
starter solenoid and the s lead boot
terminal of the solenoid. (See picture)
The remote starter switch basically
shorts across these two connections and
that initiates the starter thus cranking
the engine. This can also be accomplished
by using a screwdriver to short across
the two terminals. |
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| Now before you
start, make sure the vehicle is in Park,
if automatic transmission equipped, or,
if standard transmission equipped, in
Neutral with the wheels blocked to keep
the vehicle from moving. Leave the
ignition key in the ignition switch and
in the OFF position. Next, go to the
distributor shaft housing and make a
pencil mark on the housing and the block
to show the position of the distributor
where it is now. (See picture) |
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| Assuming the engine you are dealing with is
near stock configuration, here is a basic rundown of a
tune-up. |
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| 1.
Spark plugs. Here is an easy task.
Simply remove 8 old plugs and replace them with 8
new ones. The spark plug gap is .035. Now when
removing the plug wires, it's recommended that
you change each plug one at a time, slowly
twisting the boot at the plug to remove it, and
reconnect the plug wire to that plug before going
to the next one. If you are changing the plug
wires also and removing them all, just mark the
distributor cap number one post and replace the
wires in the firing order of the engine you are
working on. The firing order is followed at the
cap from number one and going counter-clockwise.
Number 1 cylinder or plug is at the front of the
engine on the passenger side. Plugs 1-2-3-4 are
on the passenger side and plugs 5-6-7-8 are on
the driver's side. |
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2. Points
and condenser. First disconnect
the vacuum line from the distributor
diagphragm and plug it with a small
screw. Use a flat blade screwdriver and
unhook the two metal clips holding the
distributor cap in place. Move the cap
out of the way, remove the rotor from the
top of the center shaft, and observe the
inside of the distributor. The condenser
is the long cylinder with the wire
exiting the end and attaching to the
small shaft and nut of the points. It is
held in place with the one flat blade
screw. The points are held in by two flat
head screws. Notice that at one end of
the points there is a small slot cut into
the end and that is over a triangular
depression at the distributor base. (See
Arrow) This is how you adjust the points.
Find a flat blade screwdriver that will
fit snugly in the slot of the points and
the other side of the triangular area.
The points are adjusted by twisting the
screwdriver and moving the points to one
direction or the other. To remove the
points and condenser, simply loosen the
small nut where the wire of the condenser
goes and remove the two wires. Then
remove the two points screws and
condenser screw and pull the points and
condenser out.
To install the new points and condenser,
install the condenser first, noting the
small tab that aligns with the small hole
at the distributor plate to keep the
condenser from moving. Now install the
new points and leave the two mounting
screws just tight enough that you can
still move the points with the flat blade
screwdriver in that slot at the end.
Reattach the two wires to the shaft and
nut of the points and tighten. Turn the
ignition key to the ON position. Connect
your dwell meter and place it so you have
both hands free. Crank the engine and
slightly move the points with the flat
blade screwdriver until you get the dwell
meter reading to between 24 and 26
degrees. When you have them correct, you
can then tighten the points screws all
the way. Recheck the dwell to make sure
tightening the points didn't change the
setting. Replace the distributor rotor
and the distributor cap. |
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| NOTE: THIS NEXT
PROCEDURE WILL REQUIRE THE ENGINE RUNNING. BEWARE
OF THE FAN BLADES WHILE THE ENGINE IS RUNNING. |
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| Remove the dwell
meter and connect your timing light. The
timing light connects to positive and
negative battery posts and the number one
spark plug. No 1 plug is the front plug
on the passenger side of the engine.
Slightly loosen the distributor housing
holddown clamp just enough to be able to
move the distributor and be sure the
distributor is lined up with the pencil
mark you made before you started. Next
you need to make sure 6 degrees BTDC is
marked on the crankshaft damper. It is
best to use something like silver model
paint that will show up well with the
timing light and won't rub off easily.
Note which side of the 0 degrees is ATDC
and BTDC. BTDC is to the right of 0. Now start the
engine and let it run a few seconds. The
engine timing is checked by shining the
timing light onto the crankshaft damper
where the metal pointer is just above it.
The shiny mark for 6 degrees will move as
you slightly spin the distributor. The
factory specs for the ignition timing is
6 degrees BTDC however with today's fuel
you may find better performance with 8
degrees BTDC. While watching the timing
mark, slowly twist the distributor
housing until you get the timing mark
lined up with the timing pointer. When
you have the mark where you want it, use
a distributor wrench or a short 1/2 inch
box end wrench and tighten the
distributor holddown clamp. Be careful of
the spinning fan blades. Recheck the
timing with the timing light and then
shut off the ignition. Disconnect the
timing light, reconnect the vacuum line
to the distributor, and you are done.
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1. The points are adjusted first because as the
points settings change, so does the engine
timing.
2. The factory specs for the dwell angle is
between 24 and 28 degrees. As the points wear,
the point gap will decrease thus increasing dwell
angle.
3. For Ford small block dual point distributors,
the points sets are set one at a time with a thin
piece of cardboard, such as a match book cover,
to block the gap on the set you are ignoring.
Each set individually should be set to a dwell
angle of about 26 degrees. When the two sets are
set, the total dwell angle should be between 30
and 33 degrees.
4. Setting points with a feeler gauge will give
you a good start but won't get it as accurate as
a dwell meter. If your points wear or slip while
driving and the engine quits, a matchbook cover
will give you a close enough gap setting to get
you home.
5. If you are checking your coil by pulling the
coil wire from the center of the cap and seeing
if there is spark when cranking, remember that
the points are what complete the circuit to
ground. If the points are bad, they won't ground
and the coil won't spark, possibly leading you to
believe it's bad. (been there, done that.) To
properly check your coil, pull the center wire
from the cap but look for spark to ground at a
place such as the shock tower bracket or frame
while cranking.
6. Cars with tachometers - The tachometer is
installed in series with the ignition system
originally. This means power flows through the
tachometer as the system is powered. If the
tachometer should fail, the car will not run. If
you have a run or starting problem and the tach
is suspected, you need to unplug the tachometer
connector and jump from one wire to the other in
the harness thus removing the tachometer from the
system. You will know then if the tach is the
culprit. If you would like a schematic of how to
bypass the tachometer and still have a tach,
click HERE . |
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