So I have this 89 gta 5.7 TPI I bought and have been restoring. It was having some stalling and running rough issues and I replaced the coil,cap,rotor,module, and pick up coil. I marked the cap where the wires should go, but I noticed the placement of the wires was wrong and so was the firing order. So basically, I know what the firing order should be, I just don't know wher on the cap to start with the #1 wire. I only ask because this cap is the kind with the ignition module that has the connectors of it sticking out the flat side of the cap. Would that flat side be considered the back, or should that be the front or side of the cap. I never had this kind before. Any advice would greatly be appreciated, thanks guys.

 

There's no fixed position, it's all relative. Set the #1 cy. to compression (remove plug) then bump the starter till the balancer mark sort of lines up w/ the degree mark. Then look where the rotor sits and use the enarest next terminal for #1, this will allow you to start the car. Next after installing all wires 184365752 and reinstalling the spark plug, disconnect the hei bypass, start the car and set the timing.

Usually the base connector is pointing to the firewall so it's considered the back.

 

Thanks for the advice

 

For the sake of convenient plug wire routing, you may want to consider pulling the dizzy and dropping it back in point towards the number 1 cyl (IF AND ONLY IF YOU'RE ON THE #1 TDC COMPRESSION STROKE!). But if you dont have a good LONG flathead screwdriver or an oil pump priming rod I wouldn't bother. It's a little frustrating and irritating to get them to drop in sometimes.

But as mentioned, firing order is what's important, and that it be synchronized with the rotor. Doesn't matter where each plug wire is on the cap as long as the rotor is synchronized with them.

 

I'm dropping the distributor in later today. So basically, pull the number 1 cylinder plug, and when I feel air pressure I know I'm on the compresion stroke. When I'm there, I then drop the distributor so the rotor points to the #1 cylinder. Does it matter if its off by a tooth or 2 when installing? I'm going to get under the car and do this and use my breaker bar to turn the crank by hand until I feel it. Will the timing mark on the balancer definately be on the degree mark plate when I'm on the compression stroke?

 

The #1 plug, from the factory, was on the front just to the driver's side of straight ahead.

When you drop the dist in, the shaft will turn, because the gears are helical.

Rotate the engine by hand in the direction it runs, until it's almost at the point you want it to fire (maybe 10° before that); e.g. if you want your timing to end up at 6° BTDC, set the engine so that it's sitting at 16° BTDC. Look down in the dist hole at the oil pump drive rod; turn it so that it's at about a 30° angle from driver's side front to pass side rear. Hold the dist body above the hole in the position it belongs in as described above. Turn the dist shaft so that the rotor is pointed about 15° to the front from straight to the driver's side. As the dist goes in the shaft will turn clockwise and engage the OP rod, and will end up about 15° to the driver's side from straight ahead. From there the timing will be close enough to start up and run.

 

OP. Look at the bottom of your distributor gear. Do you see the key in it that engages the oil pump drive rod? That has to line up with the notch in the oil pump drive rod.

What you have is an irritating balancing act.

Point your rotor at number one as it would look when you install it in the engine. Then look at the key in the gear... note how it is oriented.

Take a big screwdriver, and rotate the notch in the oil pump drive rod as best you can so that it will match the angle of the key.

Notice how the gears are helical? They're spiral gears. As you drop in the distributor it will try to rotate the rotor. So what you have to do is rotate the distributor in the other direction, so that as it rotates into place, it points where you want it to go.

If all goes well, it will rotate and point at number 1. But chances are your oil pump driveshaft isnt going to line up on the first try. As you drop it in, it will stop probably 1/4 of an inch above the manifold. rotate the rotor back and forth and give it some jimmy shakes to see if it drops in. If it does not, remove, and rotate the oil pump driveshaft a little one way or the other, then try again.

It's trial and error. Just get the rotor in the ballpark because it doesnt REALLY matter where it points. As long as it's ballparked it's fine. The trick is to get it to drop all the way in and engage the oil pump. If it doesnt do that, then do NOT force it. It will literally just slot itself in with the help of gravity. If it doesn't drop after you rotate the rotor and jimmy it a little, it's not going to. Try again.

 

First id like to thank everyone for their help. This site is great, its helped me for many years of thirdgen ownership. And i found a link to a youtube video someone posted on here that was great at showing getting your distributor right on the money.
Ok now here's what I'm dealing with, the timing was set but the car was still running a little rough. I took it for a test drive and I did get on it just a little bit to see how it would feel. After about a mile I saw smoke under the hood. So I pulled up at home to find oil was shooting out of my dipstick. I checked underneath the car for any other possible leaks and found the wire to the knock sensor burned off and melted. Now I'm thinking this was a major part of my problem to begin with.
I also found I must have accidently knocked off the line going to the egr valve when doing the distributor. Do you think that caused the oil out the dipstick problem. I'm gona start the car in the morning so I don't wake the neighbors to see where I'm at.

 

Ok so I started the car, it runs better but a hair rough. So after doing some research I tested my pcv system. Pcv valve checked out good and there's suction going through it, the passenger side vent to intake line was venting, but excessive steam and what looked like some possible oil. When I pulled this line off the car ran perfect again and no more oil shooting out of the dipstick tube. So I'm adding a breather element now and trying to use some mystery oil in the oil, fuel, and in the intake.