Find #1 Plug

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blackace

blackace

The KING of flats
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I am working on my motor and have the schematic for the spark plug wires to the distributor. The problem is that #1 should be facing the front of the engine but the distributor is advanced. The problem is that I don't know if I am looking at #2 or #1.

Now I know going to the #1 cylinder and rotating the engine until TDC the rotor should point the direction of where the spark plug wire should go on the distributor and that should be #1. Is there another way to find #1 on the cap? How many plugs are there in relation to the vacuum advance?
 
:book: It doesn't make much vacuum when it isn't running. :color:
 
Ace said:
:book: It doesn't make much vacuum when it isn't running. :color:
Click to expand...


Yep the distributor isnt going to be advancing with the motor not running. The schematic is pointing you in the right direction. :salut:
 
Sorry I must not have clearified my question enough. It's not going to run since I have no spark plug wires attached anyway.

What I mean is that my vacuum advance on the distributer is not is the standard location. Instead of being on the right side of the motor it is rotated clock wise and almost parallel to the firewall. So with it in that location where would the #1 plug be on the cap?
 
Wow, now "I'm" confused. Without knowing what kind of dist you have, just think about it like this: The rotor and cap only goes "on" one way. The dist only goes "in" 2 ways (180deg, either way). So at TDC, the rotor is either pointing to #1,or 180deg opposite #1.

I don't see what the relative position of the advance module has to do with it, except depending on what kind of distibutor it might be.
 
I have to admit there is another reason I was interested in this WRT to the position of the advance module on the dist. I was going through a similar episode w/my 340 the other day, after I decided to check the timing. I wanted to make sure it was right, because the PO I bought the car from last summer seemed to be a bit of a dumb-a$$.

I'm crawlin' all over it with the timing light and cannot see the timing mark anywhere, except possibly 180deg. off. Turns out this was not the timing mark, just a 90deg. "half" mark (balancer notched halfway across). So I figure the PO had the dist in 180 out of phase, and proceed to turn it around. Then I see maybe why it was this way, because the advance module hits the throttle bracket - a throttle bracket for the motor when it obviously was in a different car. There is an unused mounting point on the throttle bracket for something that no longer exists here, blocking the vacuum advance. Get that cut off, ground down, dist back in 180 deg opposite and... still no timing mark anywhere to be seen!!!

I just decide to start turning the dist counter-clockwise until somehting happens and like about 10 degrees later it finally shows up. So the timing was WAY far advanced. It seems to run better now and backfiring alot less too. So my question is:

On what side of the dist is the vacuum advance normally located on a 340 - passenger or driver?

I've been looking for a picture, but haven't found a good one you can see very well because the dist is on the back of these small blocks.

Tks...
 
Well I always thought that the position of the vacuum advance were the same on all small blocks which should be on the passanger side. Mine is on the passenger side but turned more towards the firewall than the head.

Now when I looked at my plugs I noticed that they were all marked as to what cylinder they were going to. The previous owner had marked them near the boot by the cap. When I checked the #8 plug I saw that it was drivers side instead of the passenger side which leaves me to believe that it was wired wrong. Kinda makes sense since I always thought there was a miss. LOL!

When I get a chance later I am gonna take a picture of mine and post it.
 
Here are the the pics. I am assuming that either this is correct or where #2 is shouldbe #1. But I won't know for sure until I check it.

distributor.jpg


distributor1.jpg


distributor2.jpg
 
Yep, that's where mine was when I started, and you have the same exact throttle bracket I have (had!). Now that top portion of the bracket and the pin with nothing on it are gone and the vacuum module is on the driver's side.

As far as the rest of it goes, it shouldn't run very well (if at all) if you are off on the plug wires arrangement. The only sure way I know of is to put #1 at TDC and see where the rotor points.
 
this is how the distributor "should" be, number one terminal on the cap should be pointing towards the #1 cylinder, not that it makes a huge difference but it just keeps things uncomplicated. Some people don't care and just drop the oil pump drive in wherever (typically chevy guys) and call it a day. To fix it just pull the dist and rotate the gear so that the slot lines up right while at #1 TDC. The vaccum advance doesn't care where it is as long as you have enough room to time the distributor.
pic.gif


pic.gif
 
In your pic, #2 is the true #1. The distributor is very retarded where it sits in the pics. You can either move the dist ccw until the point on the reluctor is exactly opposite the steel strip on the pickup coil, then add a few degrees to get it running, or, just stick the wires on where you want them, and re-time it...
 
Hey Moper ya think maybe he could send it to distributor school, or some special ed class for retarded distributors?

:smilebox:

But seriously, you're right about that pic of the lineup between #1 on the cap and #1 on the block. I doubt it would even run retarded that far. Best thing is to just look in the Chilton's manual or some such reference. Never heard that #1 points to #1 and turning the gear stuff before. Could be some truth to it if it's running, and I'm certainly no Chevy guy by any stretch. But I DO have a Chilton's manual which agrees with what you said.

:wack:
 
i was just looking at your engine pics and was wondering why do you have 4 wires hooked to your alternator? is one for an electronic fan or something

hmm and i notied your belt routing is like mine except i only have one pully on the waterpump..weird
 
ace turning your dist ccw is advancing it, your timing was retarded. timing is advanced by going opposite the firing order. moper is right, you can put #1 anywhere you want. undo the coil to dist wire, pull #1 plug, stuff a towel in it, and in short bursts, bump the motor with the key and wait until the rag pops out. then roate if necessary to exactly TDC on balancer. whereever the rotor points is #1.
 
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