How To? Distributor Problems

I need help guys. I removed my distributor and attempted to move it one tooth either direction to advance the timing and now I am screwed. It wont start. I have tried several times and nothing works. A couple of times it would turn over and make a weird noise and would stop cranking. I then realized that the #1 cylinder wasnt at TDC. I lined up the mark on the harmonic balancer and the distributor to the #1 cylinder. Nothing. But at least now it will turn over with out sounding like crap. Is it possible that I really screwed something up, or am I just not doing it right. I really need help and you guys are the best source of info I have right now. Thanks for all your help.

90red

90red said:

. . . I lined up the mark on the harmonic balancer and the distributor to the #1 cylinder. . .

Click to expand...

Well that kinda works to get the #1 cylinder at TDC, but it's not so good at picking WHICH TDC -- you need to try that again with the #1 spark plug out as the crank mark approaches 0*... stick a finger over the empty sparkplug hole as you turn the crank towards TDC; if you can feel pressure then you'll be able to set your distributor, if not you've got another revolution of the crank to go!... You need to set #1 TDC on the compression stroke (you've prolly got your dist. 180* off right now...

(BTW the timing on your engine is controlled by the CPS and the ECU; the distributor helps to differentiate the two times that #1 passes TDC and get's the spark near the "correct" tower - that's all)

Thanks for your input. I finally got it to work. It really scared the crap out of me. I dont think I will be doing that again any time soon. I figured out that I was one tooth off. It ran like crap at first, but I think that was because of the build up of crap from the previous attempts to start it. It burped all of that crap out and it now runs like it did before I messed with it. Thanks again.

90red