Not since 1990 .
I agree with Sir.. you need to make sure that car is properly timed before you can attemp anything else .
line the white mark on the crank pulley with the notch on the lower t-belt cover, then make sure that the cam pulley lines are lined up with the head and the ( up) mark on the cam pulley if at the top ..that's # 1 .
if cam timing is off...there is a write up on our DIY section on how to reset cam timing .
Once thta's done you need to make sure that the plug wires are hooked up properly , on the cap there is a stamped A or A1 ,, to indicate cyl # 1 ,, from there you go clockwise 1-3-4-2 ..

keep us posted

 

so even if my cam timing is off a lil it wouldnt run right?

 

If your cam timing is a little off (1 or 2 teeth) it'll run, but badly. One direction it idles OK but sucks at higher rpm. Other direction it's just the opposite.

Remember when you check your camshaft timing... The REAL timing marks are little dimples out at the sprocket teeth. They line up horizontally with the top of the head. The "UP" arrow is only approximate; it's job is to tell you whether the cam sprocketis completely backwards.

 

it's possible to install the dizzy 180 degrees backwards still though. it will be slightly cocked and you can bolt it down. you and i may notice itis cocked or something odd and stop tightening but someone else may not.

double check your timing the right way(this is the right way if you haven't been doing it the right way)



balancer shafts that are off will cause a hell of a vibration and noise if not on time. in theory this imbalance can destroy the engine eventually..mwhahahaha..ahem..



edit:even if the up mark is down that just means cyl. 4 is tdc, not cyl 1. the important part is that the white mark on the crank is lined up(assuming the lower timing cover is on correctly) and the two marks on the cam gear are level with the head. if seeing UP and the marks lined up will make you feel better - just rotate the crank 360 degrees and it should be correct on the cam.

 

Yes, I can testify that installing the distributor off by 180 degrees is possible. I managed this onmy 94Ex and tightened the bolts enough to bend an internal frame member which caused subsequent problems. I don't like the keyway in the camshaft because it is not obvious which way to install. I realized when I was installing that it didn't seem to be fitting as well as I remembered, but went ahead anyway to my future regret.

Lesson is "if it's hard to install, something's wrong". Stop and assess further.

good luck