hows it going i have a 87 iroc and i just put a newer motor in it and i was wonder do i just drop the distributor in or do i have to spin the motor or something. someone told me to just put it in and hook the wires up in the firing order.

 

Don't we all wish it were that easy. You have to hand turn or bump the engine over till you are on TDC on piston #1. There are many methods to figure this out. But once you do that, the point on the distributor should be pointing towards cylinder #1, you want to, from that point, start on that cylinder and follow the cap around with the wires.

 

thank you i actually tried that someone told me to put a rag in the number 1 cyl and i cranked it till it popped out and then someone said were ever the tip of the rotor is pointing thats were i start off

 

They were right. Some use screwdrivers, others use their finger and plug the hole, have a passer by turn the engine over till they feel compression and their finger is pushed out. But you are on the right track. Let us know how it turns out!

 

It HAS to be the compression stroke, not the exhaust stroke. Hold your finger over the spark plug hole for the #1 cylinder, and feel for the air pressure building as the motor is turned over - when you feel pressure buidling and you are close to zero on the timing tab/mark, then that's the compression stroke - turn it until you are at TDC. Then stab the distributor - most folks stab it so the rotor button points towards #1 cylinder as a reference. Then attach plug wire to the post closest to where the rotor points, and follow the firing order around the dist. with the rest of the plug wires.