So.. I got the motor in and got it all together...Assumed the engine builder had it at #1 TDC ..put in the coil on top hei distibutor ..the rotor was pointing at 5 o clock if your standing at the front of the car..so thats where I put the #1 plug wire...18436572 went around counter clockwise got all the wires hooked up...tryed to start and it backfires through the carb.
So I started over...rolled the motor around to 0 degree's checked that it was at #1 TDC..took off the cap and the rotor is pointing at 11 oclock ..... exactly 90 degree's from where I started...so.....I put #1 plug wire at 11 o clockand went around again 18436572..tryed to start it and it back fires through the carb again...
It's been about 20 years since I last did this and my memorys getting a little foggy..HELP..
Around 5:00-5:30 should be correct. It would be the closest terminal to actual number one plug.
How are you making sure you are at TDC? Plug out, finger in the hole or valve cover off, watching intake valve close, then bumping timing mark to TDC?
One you are CERTAIN you are at TDC, CERTAIN you have all wires on correct order, if it's backfiring when you crank, pull the vacuum advance towards you, try again. Still backfires? Pull it some more, just a touch at a time. A backfire means you are likely still too far back, IF you know for sure all the rest is correct.
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1966 Strato Chief 2 door, 427 4 speed, 45,000 original miles
1966 Grande Parisienne, 396 1 of 23 factory air cars
What I do to make sure I'm TDC compression stroke is use a compression tester and bump the engine over just until the gauge starts to move. Then bring it up to TDC. The distributor rotor should point to #1 or 5:00. Then static time it and fire it up.
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'68 Parisienne 2+2 Convertible Matador Red (Resale Red but not for sale).
I'm positive on the TDC ..I used a bore scope through the plug hole ...I tried moving the distrubutor ahead a bit at a time...I'm thinkin I may be 90 degrees out?.. I'll pull it out and start over
Remember the piston comes to TDC twice but only fires one of those times. As Carl mentioned, you need to watch the valves to ensure you are on TDC of the compression stroke not the exhaust stroke. If the distributor has been removed and replaced, the rotor could potentially be pointing any direction (per the number of teeth on the gear). If you want it pointing a particular direction you may have to turn the oil pump drive shaft to adjust the distributor drop in position accordingly. Gary
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72 Nova SS - Minitubbed 70 Nova SS - #'s L-78 Bench Stick 68 Acadian SS clone - factory air 67 Chevelle rag - SS 427 clone
First off,#1 @ 5 o'clock per say on the cap then run your wires clock wise around-18436572- so that #2 is to the right of #1(if standing in front of car).The second time you tried to fire it, it ended up @ 11 o'clock(#6 piston-clock wise) which means yes your distributor was out 90 degrees.Bring it to#1 TDC again,re-position your wires and it should fire.I hope this helps.
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"No matter how much you change, you still have to pay for the things you've done".