18436572 ENGINE pass. side 2-4-6-8 ............ Rear of Car 1-3-5-7 Driver side DIST. pass. side .43. 8...6 1...5 ---> Rear of Car .27. Driver side

correct, but not sure what your trying to show with the distributor thing you have in your post

well on the dist. does it matter which terminal you use for the #1 cylinder?

i dont believe it matters which terminal you use for the number 1 cylinder, as long as the firing order is correct. i asked a mechanic i know and he told me as long as the firing order it correct, it doesnt matter. by the way, the wires on my distributor are on the exact same terminals as you outlined above.

yeah, it's kinda hard to describe which one it is though. but i kinda understand that drawing you havem and #1 is sorta in the proper place it seems. unfortunatley I dont have tpi so i cant take a look a a cap and tell ya...

yes it matters very much which post you use for #1. you have to use the post that the rotor would be pointing to when you have the engine on #1, match up the timing marks and then look at the rotor then referance where it si to what post on the cap it would be pointing at.

hmmm...i realize that the rotor has to point to each post at the correct time, but as long as you line up the rotor and the post you choose to use as number #1, it doesnt matter what post you choose to be #1 does it? sorry....i am just trying to clarify things... i am new to this ignition stuff and learnig as i go.

correct as long as the rotor points at the post you chose for #1 when the engine is on #1 doesn't matter. i've change #1 post before when i put distributor in and have trouble with clearance or wire length, just rotate one post and reset timing and all is well

i see. thanks for the help and clarification. its much appreciated.

ede is right, unless you get a misformed cap. Had a real problem timing a motor one time that didnt have #1 on the normal post. Turned out the selected #1 was cast in the wrong place. So when #1 was timed the other 7 were out of time...

Now that I've totally confused the situation. That was a totally abnormal thing to have happen. Go ahead and put #1 whereever you want it. Except for that one time, I've never had a problem.

If I remember correctly an old SB rule of thumb to get your distributor in right was to have the #1 cyl at TDC, then drop the distributor in to have the rotor pointing at the #1 cyl, then line up the #1 terminal on the cap with the rotor. And when you get new pre cut plug wires they fit correctly. Correct me if I'm wrong though, it's been a while since I've had to mess with one.

Since we've already had the thousand words...

thanks for the pic Vader

much appreciated

Vader, you should add some red arrows to that picture to emphasize the non-parallel routing of 8-4 && 5-7. Couldn't hurt

Person preference

pass. side
.84.
1...3
2...6 ---> Rear of Car
.57.
Driver side

That way you get symetrical wires off the distributor and 8-4 is right by the passenger side, 5-7 is right by the drivers side.

My 2¢

That's a commonly taught and practiced way of doing it, and the way I've always done it. But it's not an absolute "must". Just do it the way you understand it best. I never heard of anyone doing it the way a73camaro describes, but it kinda makes sense, and I'll probably give it a try sometime to see how I like it.