After "thinking" I had the distributor 180deg off, I put on the timing pointer that I luckily found, had somebody bump the engine till my finger got pushed off the #1 cylinder and the marks lined up as TDC on the balancer. I looked to make sure i saw the piston, and I checked and the distributor was 180deg off. Fine, I changed it and tried starting and for 3 day's I haven't been able to get anything to happen. For the hell of it, I went out today and rechecked for tdc, after i did all the previous steps, I checked the dist, and it's facing the wrong way again.. WTF am I doing wrong???

 

Not sure what you may have done wrong, but just to get the engine running go out and move the plug WIRES around 180* on the cap. In other words, put the #1 plug wire on what is presently #6 and then on around from there clockwise in firing order- 18436572. THis has the same effect as dropping the distrigutor back in with the rotor turned 180*. Plug wiring may get messy but the engine WILL start if being out by 180* was your problem.

 

I can also turn the distributor around in 5 min. I've had it both way's and it didn't start. What I want to know is, how do I get the engine to TDC, so that when I install the distributor it's aiming at the #1cylinder and it's RIGHT. There's gotta be a way to check the rockers with the piston being up/down.

if i just keep turning the distributor I'll never be sure if it's right or not, therefor that's a step of troubleshooting i can't check off

 

Find #1 TDC by looking at the piston; rotate the engine slowly toward that point while watching the #6 rockers; if the #6 exhaust is closing as the piston is approaching TDC, then you're at #1 firing, where you want to be. DON'T use the timing mark. Then drop the dist in such that the rotor points just barely to the driver's side of straight ahead. Install the plug wires in the factory locations: #1 just to the driver's side of straight ahead, #8 just to the pass side of straight ahead, #3 next, etc. all the way around.

Don't get frustrated, you will only end up outsmarting yourself. The dist alignment I described is the same as the factory. I'd recommend trying a fresh set of plugs at the same time as you verify correct dist installation (belongs in the "don't outsmart yourself" category).

Remember, you only need 3 things for it to run: fuel, compression, and correctly timed spark. As long as you are sure you have 2 of those ingredients, the 3rd should be straightforward to remedy.

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"So many Mustangs, so little time..."
ICON Motorsports

 

Thank you. That's the answer I was looking for. I got it running!! Nothing blew apart and even the valvetrain didn't make noise!

Thanks again,

Scott M