As the title states, I changed the cap and rotor yesterday and assumed that I could use the std "#1 is at 5 o'clock method to put the wires back on.... WRONG.

So, now I have no idea which post on the dist cap #1 actually is... My first thought would be to just play "musical plug wires" and keep rotating them (keeping the firing order correct) until it fires up again.

Is there serious harm in doing this? Also, is there any other way to determine #1 w/o finding TDC on cyl #1?

 

At this point I would probably just start from scratch. Take out the #1 spark plug and put your thumb over the hole. Then have a buddy get in the car and bump the starter until you feel the air pressure on your thumb. #1 should now be close enough to hook up the wires. Once you're done with that you probably want to get the timing light out.

 

You could take off both valve covers, see which cylinder (or cylinders) have both valves closed or almost closed, then put a wrench on the crank and turn it to see which cylinder should be firing (both valves closed and not moving) and start with that plug wire.. But for all that work its probably going to be easier to do what Pound suggested.

 

Not any help now, but next time you change any dizzy cap? Pull the cap off with the plug wires still on, making sure you know where the orientation was. Put the new cap on. Then transfer the plug wires one by one.

 

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no 1 is directly behind the brake booster hose on the back of plenum.

 

Depends upon how confident you are it wasn't messed up some time in the past.

You could turn the engine over until the timing mark on the damper lines up with the timing tab. From there you will be in one of two possible positions, #1, or #6. If the rotor is pointing somewhat forward, it's probably #1 (unless someone put the distributor in 180 degrees off sometime in the past, and changed the wires on the distributor cap to "fix" it). If the rotor is pointing somewhat rearward, it's probably #6 (unless someone put the distributor in 180 degrees off sometime in the past, and changed the wires on the distributor cap to "fix" it).

 

I did a little bit to it today, but until I get my fuel tank back in tomorrow, I won't be able to tell if it worked.

I turned the engine over with the #1 plug removed and waited for the compression to blow my finger off of the hole; I looked at the damper and the timing mark was at the teeth on the block. I pulled the cap off and it appears that the rotor is pointed at 7 o'clock, instead of 5:00, where I was expecting to see it. I went inside and looked at some pics of the engine I'd taken at various stages of getting it running - Sure enough, it looks like the P/O has #1 at about 7:00 and then the rest of the firing order looks correct. I put it back together this way and will test tomorrow when the tank comes back (just called as I typed this - I'll pick it up in the morning).

Could the fact that rotor points to #1 when it's at 7:00, be an indication of anything as far as ignition timing goes?? The engine seemed to run correctly with the old cap/rotor, although a little rough; I figured it needed a new rotor/cap as well as some fine tuning.

 

nope

but you really need to mark #1 on the new cap. Mine is at 3:30 (give or take)

purists will tell you to remove the distributor and try to install it again and get it lined up so #1 is at 5 or 6 o'clock. Frankly, as long as you and the next guy knows the location of #1 then that is all that matters

 

The rotor can point to the moon when engine is at TDC #1 piston, doesn't matter where it points, as long as the #1 plug wire goes on THAT distributor cap terminal and the rest of the wires follow the firing order around.

 

............
I agree with torque---
When you find your #1dist post, mark it. You'll always be able to find it!!

 

just look at the brake booster hose on the back of the plenum directly across from it is no 1 on the cap. It is at about 5 o'clock if your standing in front of your car. It is very simple. You may have something else wrong. Is your distributer in correctly?

 

Alright, stand in front of your car. imagine a line going from number one spark plug/cylinder to your distributer cap. The line will be 22 degrees or so.It will come out to like 5 o'clock position if your distributor is a clock and you are standing in front of your car.

 

Not every distributor is where it's "supposed to be" according to someone - he needs to find TDC compression stroke, and where rotor points is #1 regardless of what direction it points.

 

It would just be best if you started from scratch as was said before.

When I pull and reinstall SBC distributers I have number 1 as the passenger side front post(7 o clock?). I have seen service manuals showing #1 as the drivers side front on some smallblocks and passenger on others. My 94 truck shows it on the drivers side.

The fact is it really dosen't matter where the post is. I have found the passenger front #1 seems to give the cleanest looking wire routing. thats really the biggest reason I do it that way.

 

camaronewbie is right the position does not matter, wherever the rotor is pointing at on the compression stroke is number one. attach #1 wire there and follow the firing order around. It could be 2 3 8 or 12 o clock it does not matter. #1 is #1 no matter what position its in