I'm an idiot, lets get that out of the way.

I took out my distributor yesterday to install a semi new one along with my MSD box and external coil. **** kept coming up so I just decided to put my old one back in (in the same spot or so I thought) just so I could still use the car if I wanted. Well now the car won't start. It turns over but won't fire. Back fired a few times so I'm sure my power valve has blown...again. I don't have a timing light or a vacuum gauge. How the hell do I get my car to start?

I put my finger into #1 spark plug hole till I felt compression, took the cap off and found #1 on the distributor and wired the plug wires from there. Car still won't start. It chugged a few times but won't catch. What can I do? Please help.

 

You have some backfire so you are getting some sort of spark, so I would rule out your MSD box.

It is one of two things, you have your distributor 180* out, or you need someone to turn the distributor for you just enough to get it started and then time it.

 

The MSD box isn't installed. By the time I started the swap it got too dark out and things came up so I decided to save that for another day and just put the old distributor back in. 180 out eh? I just turn the rotor 180 degrees? I tried turning the distributor back and forth to see if the engine would start and it wouldn't so I'm going to try that 180 out thing and see where it gets me. If that doesn't work, what do I do? lol!

 

Start off like you did (finger into #1 spark plug hole till you feel compression).
Look at the dampner, it should be close to lined up with 0 deg.
If it is not get a ratchet and socket turn the crank clockwise only (you can back the bolt out if you spin it backwards) to get it close.
Then line the rotor up pointing in the general direction of number 1 plug hole.
This will get you in the ballpark that you can move the distributer to get it to run.
With that said you may only be one tooth out (which is in the 28 deg range) and the distributor may not move that far......just food for thought.

 

its realy simple to fix just pull it take off the cap and point the rotor on the opposite side.

 

check fireing order.