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Moved distributor shaft? Sounds rough now?

Old Jul 30, 2019 | 12:32 AM
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Question Moved distributor shaft? Sounds rough now?

1995 Dakota 5.2 Gas Fuel Injected

Need some help. I did a tune-up tonight replacing the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. When I replaced the rotor the shaft turned a bit. I put the new rotor on and pointed it back in the same position. It turned like maybe 10 degrees. After I put the cap and then replaced all the plugs and wires making sure to match them all up, I started the truck up and it's feels rough and is definitely either misfiring or the timing is off.
Did I mess up the timing by turning the rotor shaft?
Could it be that I just messed up the plug wires order and it's not firing in the correct order?
It got dark so I just put the tools away for now.
Ideas appreciated!
 
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Old Jul 30, 2019 | 09:30 AM
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If you can turn the rotor shaft that far, something is broke.
 
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Old Jul 30, 2019 | 09:47 AM
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Originally Posted by SHANESDAKOTA
1995 Dakota 5.2 Gas Fuel Injected

Need some help. I did a tune-up tonight replacing the plugs, wires, cap, and rotor. When I replaced the rotor the shaft turned a bit. I put the new rotor on and pointed it back in the same position. It turned like maybe 10 degrees. After I put the cap and then replaced all the plugs and wires making sure to match them all up, I started the truck up and it's feels rough and is definitely either misfiring or the timing is off.
Did I mess up the timing by turning the rotor shaft?
Could it be that I just messed up the plug wires order and it's not firing in the correct order?
It got dark so I just put the tools away for now.
Ideas appreciated!
If you were able to turn the rotor any, like HeyYou said, there's something broken.

I'd also triple check the firing order and the dress of the cables; there's a FSB on how to run the ignition cables to avoid cross fires.

RwP
 
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Old Jul 30, 2019 | 03:23 PM
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It occurs to me that it may be possible for a foreign made rotor to be the wrong size ID or off in some way that lets it spin past its correct position on the shaft instead of the shaft itself moving. Put a mark on the shaft with a Sharpie and then turn the rotor to see if the shaft or the rotor is moving.
 
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Old Jul 31, 2019 | 11:30 PM
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With the help of daylight, I rechecked the plug wires and I mixed up two cylinders. It fired right up and is running smooth. I must have thought I moved the distributor shaft but really just moved the rotor when it was only partially on and not locked in as I tried to pull it off.
 
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Old Aug 1, 2019 | 08:54 AM
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Yeah, we've all done that before.
 
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Old Aug 1, 2019 | 12:05 PM
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When I was a teenager I had a 1967 Riviera 2door with the flip lights. I had no idea about firing order I just put in a new cap and new wires and had no idea why it would not run. Then someone thought to ask me about the firing order and I said "What's that?" That is when I found out public libraries have auto manuals. Not all of them and not usually FSM's but enough for me to figure out what to do.
 
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