How do I get a 4.3 back in time after removing distributor?

Remove number, one spark plug , turn engine over till compression is felt, turn engine over till TDC marks on crank pulley and timing cover marks line up, fit distributor to motor with rotor pointing to number one distributor cap tower, start and set final timing with timing light.

bring engine to top dead center #1 with the timing marks. remove distributer cap and note position of rotor direction and mark on the distributor housing were the rotor is pointing. also mark the position of the distributor mark to a position on the motor, then unbolt the distributor holding bolt and remove. pull up on the distributor and note which way the rotor moves as you pull the distributor out. again mark where the rotor is pointing when the distributor is out. the reason for the marking of rotor position and distributor position is so when you reassemble you line up the marks to get it into the proper position when the distributor is back in place. then you have to check the timing and set. as far as the pickup coil remove the distributor gear lock pin remove the gear and remove the distributor shaft to replace the coil. reassemble in reverse order.

Hi there:
Check this removal procedure (See Figures 1 through 5)

1. Disconnect the negative battery cable.
2. Unfasten the retaining clips (only remove the coil wire if necessary) and lift the distributor cap straight off. It will be easier to install the distributor if the spark plug wiring is left connected to the cap. If the plug wires must be removed from the cap, mark their positions to aid in installation.
3. Remove the dust cover and mark the position of the rotor relative to the distributor body; then mark the position of the distributor body relative to the engine block.
4. Detach the harness assembly connector.
5. Remove the pinch-bolt and lift the distributor straight out, away from the engine. The rotor and body are marked so that they can be returned to the position from which they were removed. Do not turn or disturb the engine (unless absolutely necessary) after the distributor assembly has been removed.

Exploded view of the distributor assembly-6-cylinder engine






Align the mark on the housing with the mark on the shaft-VG30i and VG30E engines





After the distributor assembly has been installed, the rotor should be in this position-VG30i and VG30E engines




After the distributor assembly has been installed, the rotor should be in this position-KA24E engine



INSTALLATIONTiming Not Disturbed

1. Insert the distributor in the block and align ALL matchmarks made during removal.
2. Engage the distributor driven gear with the distributor drive.
3. Install the distributor clamp and secure it with the pinch-bolt.
4. Install the distributor cap and fasten the harness electrical connector.
5. If necessary, install the spark plug wires and coil wire.
6. Start the engine. Check the timing and adjust it if necessary.

Timing Disturbed

1. It is necessary to place the No. 1 cylinder in the firing position to correctly install the distributor. To locate this position, the ignition timing marks on the crankshaft front pulley can be used.
2. Remove the No. 1 cylinder spark plug. Turn the crankshaft until the piston in the No. 1 cylinder is moving up on the compression stroke. This can be determined by placing your thumb over the spark plug hole and feeling the air being forced out of the cylinder. Stop turning the crankshaft when the timing marks indicate TDC or 0 .
3. Oil the distributor housing lightly where the distributor bears on the cylinder block.
4. Install the distributor so that the rotor, which is mounted on the shaft, points toward the No. 1 spark plug terminal tower position when the cap is installed. Of course, you won't be able to see the direction in which the rotor is pointing if the cap is installed, so lay the cap on the top of the distributor and make a mark on the side of the distributor housing just below the No. 1 spark plug terminal. Make sure that the rotor points toward that mark when you install the distributor.

On the VG30i and VG30E engines, align the mark on the distributor shaft with the protruding mark on the housing.

1. When the distributor shaft has reached the bottom of the hole, gently move the rotor back and forth slightly until the driving lug on the end of the shaft enter the slots cut in the end of the oil pump shaft and the distributor assembly slides down into place.

On the VG30i and VG30E engines, the distributor rotor tip should be in the 11 o'clock position.

1. Fasten the distributor hold-down bolt.
2. Install the spark plug into the No. 1 spark plug hole.
3. Install the distributor cap and engage the harness electrical connector.
4. If necessary, attach the spark plug wires and coil wire.
5. Start the engine. Check the timing and adjust it if necessary.

Hope this helps; also keep in mind that your feedback is important and I`ll appreciate your time and consideration if you leave some testimonial comment about this answer.

Thank you for using FixYa, have a nice day

when you changed the lower intake gaskets you should have had to loosen and remove the distributor. if you did not get the distributor back in place within a fraction of where it should be it will cause your vehicle to "jump time". easiest way to get it in time without a timing light, assuming it did not jump bad enough you have to replace or readjust your timing chain, is to loosen the bolt holding the distributor in place and slightly turn it until it starts. after it starts just move the distributor back and forth until it is idling smoothly and is back in time.

Unless you removed the three bolts that hold the distributor in, you would not have changed the timing. If you did remove the three bolts, then it is likely that you put the distributor in and did not line up the cam with the distributor shaft tangs and now either the distributor or the cam is broken. If you just removed the cap then you may have broken off the spring loaded graphite connectors that protrude between the cap and the coil, or the center electrode on the cap. If you removed the wires that attach to the cap, then you may have put them back on wrong and you will need a diagram or another car that shows you where they should go.

Removal;
Rotate the engine until the No. 1 piston is on top dead center of its compression stroke.Remove The distributor cap and then mark where the rotor is pointing on the side of the distributor with some white out or anything that you might be able to see when replacing the distributor back into position. Disconnect the TFI module by pressing the catch and pulling on it.Loosen and remove the distributor hold-down bolt.The distributor should slide straight out. It is also necessary to remove the distributor to change the TFI module if you had to do this in a separate operation.

Install:
Rotate the distributor shaft so the rotor points toward the mark on the distributor housing that you made previously.Install the distributor hold-down bolt tighten slightly. Recheck the initial timing after installing the distributor cap. Tighten the hold-down bolt and recheck the timing. Adjust again if necessary.Thank you for your questions

THE TIMING CHAIN HAS TO HAVE SKIPPED A TOOTH UNLESS THE DISTRIBUTOR HAS BEEN DISTURBED. IF THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS REMOVED THEN IT NEEDS TO BE REMOVED AND PUT BACK IN PLACE CORRECTLY BY FINDING TOP DEAD CENTER ON THE COMPRESSION STROKE ON CYLINDER NUMBER ONE AND HAVE THE ROTOR CONTACT POINT AT THAT PLUG WIRE WHEN YOU DROP THE DISTRIBUTOR BACK IN PLACE.

The simple way of doing it for a beginer. Loosen the two screws that hold your distributor cap on. Flip your cap up out of the way,not unplugging any of the plug wires. Mark the base of your distributor and engine block with a paint pen in line with one another. Next mark the top of the distributor where the rotor is pointing to. Remove the bolt that holds the distributor in at the base of it. Slowly turn and lift the distributor out. Remove the bolts for your side cover. Replace the gasket. When putting the distributor back in. Make sure you take notice of the marks you made prior to removing it. When back in place, the marks will be lined up as they were before you removed it and no need to set the timing. Hope it helps you. Please respond if you could.

Both of these parts sit in the distributor.
4.3L engine

1 - ignition control module NAPA part # TP58
remove dist. cap unscrew two small screw remove module and replace, that the easy one.

2 - Distributor pick-up assembly NAPA part # MP143
remove distributor cap, mark dist.rotor so that it goes back on the same place it came out, remove bolt at base of dist., pull distributor out, at base of distributor shaft is a gear, remove roll pin from gear, remove gear slide shaft out through the top of distributor, unscrew pick-up and replace. Reinstall every thing back and your done. Set ignition timing.

Question: were you careful when removing the distributor and marked its position on the block and distributor? Sounds like its in wrong, and the #`1 cylinder is at top dead center, but the distributor isn't at that location to spark. Ask someone here how to reinstall the distributor after making sure the #1 is at TBC. I would bet thats the problem. Trying to time it ALL DAY won't fix that.