Plug wire and firing order???

[scgamecock]

The plug wires were pulled off my motor over a year ago so I have to figure out distributor orientation and plug wire routing.  Is this the right procedure?

1 bring #1 to TDC on compression stroke.  Finger over #1 plug hole and feel compression.

2 align the Mark on the balancer with the pointer

3 orient the #1 Plug wire on the cap pole where the rotor button is pointing.

4 run the remaining wires clockwise 13726548

 

[Fabrice]

yes to all but I believe its counter clockwise.

99% sure, so to be sure you could rotate the damper after 1 is set, and feel next cyl 3 if it giving compression while pointer has rotated counter clockwise.

[edit] that 1% unsure was bugging me so went looking --> counterclockwise

 

[kcmash]

Correct,  the rotor moves counterclockwise.

kcmash

 

[eddyw]

Hi Wade,

Maybe also a pic. to keep:

 

[scgamecock]

Thanks guys!!! I am glad I posted this before I started. I was using the same principles used on a Chevrolet motor which spins clockwise.

My balancer is pretty rusty. Were there numbers at one time on it? Is there a line machined into the balancer indicating TDC?

 

[Hemikiller]

There are lines machined into the balancer to indicate various degrees. Might be useful to clean it off with sandpaper or scotchbrite, give a quick shot of black and then highlight the 0 and 10*BTDC marks with orange or red paint. I set mine at 10*BTDC on all engines for initial startup and adjust from there. You also might want to make sure you index the plug wires correctly on the cap, as the application specific sets may not fit properly if the the #1 is at some random location.

 

[scgamecock]

Ok I am picturing this in my head so tell me if I am right.  Since the motor spins counterclockwise then the BTDC mark would be above the TDC mark correct?

So I would want to be on the #1 compression stroke but line the pointer to the 10*BTDC and wire #1 post from there?

I am hoping that who ever put the distributor in indexed it correctly.  The wires are still in the looms just not connected to any of the sparkplugs.

 

[kcmash]

When you wire brush your balancer it should be obvious.  It is marked with BTC and ATC I believe.  Either way the marks are engraved in the balancer and the markings make sense.

I actually use sidewalk chalk or crayon to fill in the lines since it is easy to clean up.  Once I know where my 7 degrees before TDC is I mark that with white paint so it shines well under the timing strobe.

kcmash

 

[midlife]

One can also use white-out if you still have a manual typewriter!

 

[Fabrice]

[since the motor spins counterclockwise then the BTDC mark would be above the TDC mark correct]

There is no above in degrees land. if you look at damper and have localized the top dead center, 10 deg btdc is right of the tdc.

I've seen badly corroded dampers on 351c, in case yours is one of these and marks not to be seen, simply use tape (the tdc mark is deeper than other marks and should be found easilly), define with 2 lines 90 degrees, and then with a roll ruller measure the distance from tdc to 90 degrees, divide distance by 90, that will give you the length of a degree on your damper without using PI. Multiply by 10 to have the 10 deg ideal for first start. mark it with some dremel + paint.

As others said a good contrasted paint will help so you see it clearly later on using a strobo light.

 

[scgamecock]

Well with the exception of breaking the rotor pin in the top of the cap I think I got pretty lucky.  Since I didn't have to pull the distributor and the wires were still on the cap on the same location they were in when I unplugged them from the spark plugs 2 years ago I really didn't have to find TDC although I did and also took everyone's advice and cleaned and painted the balancer.  The rotor is pointing roughly at #2 when at TDC on the compression stroke.  Once I started the #1 wire from there the harnessed wires fell into place exactly like they were on the cap.  

I probably could have gotten it running yesterday if I hadn't of broken the distributor cap!!!!!

 

[Stanglover]

Ok I am picturing this in my head so tell me if I am right.  Since the motor spins counterclockwise then the BTDC mark would be above the TDC mark correct?

So I would want to be on the #1 compression stroke but line the pointer to the 10*BTDC and wire #1 post from there?

I am hoping that who ever put the distributor in indexed it correctly.  The wires are still in the looms just not connected to any of the sparkplugs.

 It's the  distributor  that rotates counter clockwise, but I'm sure that is what you meant. sorry to be critical.

 

[scgamecock]

Ok I am picturing this in my head so tell me if I am right.  Since the motor spins counterclockwise then the BTDC mark would be above the TDC mark correct?

So I would want to be on the #1 compression stroke but line the pointer to the 10*BTDC and wire #1 post from there?

I am hoping that who ever put the distributor in indexed it correctly.  The wires are still in the looms just not connected to any of the sparkplugs.

 It's the  distributor  that rotates counter clockwise, but I'm sure that is what you meant. sorry to be critical.

Didn't take it as critical at all.  Thanks for clarifying.  Funny thing is that now that I think about it when I was locating TDC by bumping over the motor it was spinning clockwise.  LOL!!! lollerz

I didn't have the cap off when I rotated the motor.