Timing Allis B distributor

 

Here's how I think I should install. My owner's manual covers mag timing, but not distributor timing. Find the compression stroke on piston no. 1. Watch for the "center" mark on the flywheel. Install distributor and rotate until points are just about to open. Hope that the rotor is now pointing to the piston no. 1 position. I can't find reference marks on the plastic cover over the points to tell me where the different distributor pickups are. Am I missing them, or should I make an semi-educated guess?

 

Should there be a condenser in there? My distributor doesn't have one. If one is needed, can I use one from a spare F-M mag.

 

Last question.  This distributor has a 12 volt coil, which makes me guess it came from a 12 volt negative ground tractor. My B is 6 volt positive ground. There is a stud on the outside of the distributor body. Does this attach to coil positive or negative? I sometimes have a hard time wrapping my head around positive ground.

 

Thanks again for the help. This forum has been very helpful.

1st, install a condenser in the distributer and the right coil for your electrical system. If you don't have a 6 volt coil, you can use the 12 volt coil and a 12 volt battery and the tractor will start and run just fine (altho the battery will not charge up with the 6 volt genny-you can charge the battery with a battery charger...a fully charged battery will last a long, long time). Install the battery; if you have a 6 volt Pos grd system, best to install the 12 volt battery as positive ground (the ammeter is wired for pos grd and will wwork backwards if battery is installed neg ground). Then install the 12 volt coil correctly (if battery is installed pos ground, wire from switch goes to the neg terminal on the coil and the wire from the coil to the distributer goes to the positive coil terminal...vice versa for the neg grd battery). Find TDC on #1 cylinder. I remove the #1 spark plug, place finger over the hole and turn the engine until feel compression, run a wire into #1 spark plug hole and turn engine until piston is at the top. Pull cover off the distributer and note where the rotator is pointing; that is where the plug wire for #1 cylinder goes intto the distributer cap. Firing order is 1-2-4-3 and the distributer rotates clockwise (looking down). Install the other 3 wires clockwise from #1 wire; 2, then 4, then 3. The tractor should now be ready to start. I "time" the engines be sound, loosen the distributer hold down bolts and with the engine running, rotate the distributer one direction until it starts to "load up", then rotate the other direction until it "loads up" again; half way between these two positions should be just fine.