Whats wrong with this pic?

[71GTX440]

71 B body, LA318, 5.2L

Here is a pic of the distributor from the drivers side. Engine to my left. Marked the wires as they come off the spark plugs.

Thinking the timing is 180* out.

Starting from the lower left at the 7 o'clock position
1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2
Coil in the middle



Thoughts.....

 

[super-bee_ski]

Hard for me to see
It looks like the #3 is going to the Passenger side

 

[plymouth67]

You have two wires marked 3

 

[66chargerpat]

180* off

 

[BigBlock61]

Cyl 1 is not at the top of this pic as the drawing says it should be.

 

[Jim's Maxie]

Other than being 180* there is nothing wrong,also taking pictures the correct way (right side up) instead of up side down sure makes thing a lot easier. .

 

[coloradodave]

You can't tell whether or not it's 180* out without putting the timing mark on '0' on the balancer on the #1 compression stroke and looking at where the rotor is pointing. Is the #1 on the cap 180* from where the diagram shows it? Yep! Does it make a difference? Nope, as long as the rotor points at the #1 plug wire tower on the cap when the motor is on #1 compression stroke.

 

[the mississippi madman]

shouldn't it be like this or am I still looking at it upside down

 

[71GTX440]

it looks like it, but the #2 blends with the line on the wire. There is only one #3 and one #2

 

[Shorthorse]

You can't tell whether or not it's 180* out without putting the timing mark on '0' on the balancer on the #1 compression stroke and looking at where the rotor is pointing. Is the #1 on the cap 180* from where the diagram shows it? Yep! Does it make a difference? Nope, as long as the rotor points at the #1 plug wire tower on the cap when the motor is on #1 compression stroke.

2X
You can't tell just by looking at the top of the cap. The cap can be oriented in virtually any position as long as the firing order is correct (18436572) and the timing mark and rotor are correct. Basically, if it's in the suggested position, pre-made plug wires will be the correct length. That's all.

 

[71GTX440]

You are correct, #1 should be at the 9 o'clock position if you are on the drivers side looking over the engine. Without digging into any further, I believe whomever installed this distributor just dropped one in and got it running (somewhat) without realizing where the correct points are needing to be or timing the engine correctly. The distributor hold down bolt is merely a few stacked washers and a bolt.

- - - Updated - - -

You are correct, except it doesn't point at the #1 cylinder. put the engine at TDC, pulled cap and dizzy was pointing the wrong way. Thought I was seeing things, re-installed cap, turned engine over a few times, repositioned at TDC and same result.

 

[Shorthorse]

Get the engine at TDC and make sure it's on the #1 firing stroke. Remove the distributor. While out of the engine, position your rotor to the approximate poisition you want (usually toward #1 cylinder). Take notice of the position of the narrowed part of the distributor shaft. Now, look down into the distributor hole. There is a slot in the middle of the oil pump drive gear/shaft. That is the slot your distributor end goes into. Your going to need a large bladed screw driver or something to GENTLY grab that gear. Rotate that gear clockwise. As you do that the gear (oil pump driveshaft) will come toward you. Allow it to fall back into the block when you have the notch in the same approximate position as the distributor blade/tip you positioned earlier. Re-install the distributor and make sure it seats correctly on the block surface. Rearrange your plug wires accordingly.
Or, if it's running fine, leave it alone.

 

[71GTX440]

Thanks for the info on the oil pump shaft. the distributor does need to be moved and retimed. Leaning towards doing a HEI conversion with new timing gear/chain.

 

[coloradodave]

Also, 71GTX440, realize that the timing mark comes up to '0' twice to fire all 8 cylinders. In effect, you can put the mark on '0' and be firing #6 cylinder (half way through the firing order). To find out when #1 is going to fire, pull #1 spark plug, ground the plug wire, put your finger over the #1 plug hole, and, using a remote starter button or a willing friend, 'bump' the motor over a little at a time until it tries to push your finger off the hole. At this point the timing mark should be approaching the '0' mark. Tap the motor a little more to get the mark close to +-10* BTDC. Then look at the rotor. It should be pointing at the #1 plug wire tower on the distributor cap. Then you can follow post #12's directions if you need the distributor to be set the way the factory did it or, as an alternative, just place the #1 plug wire in the tower that the rotor is pointing to, and then place the rest of the plug wires in the remaining towers, going clockwise, 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2. Put the plug back in and fire it up...

 

[71GTX440]

manually turned the engine and aligned the dampner mark to 0, #1 is at TDC (pulled plug, can see piston head as well as pushed dowel rod out), pulled cap and dizzy is pointing to where the #8 wire is supposed to be. If I pull cap off and pull distributor, turn oil pump screw and reinsert distributor so dizzy is pointing to #1 cylinder; in theory, I should be good except some final tuning with a timing light.......

 

[5.7 hemi]

Remember, bb's are counter clockwise for the plug wires.

 

[71GTX440]

And....my last post has been proven wrong
1. Pulled #1 cylinder plug and wire
2. Inserted dowel rod and had helper watch for when the dowel rod reached top and started to go back down to get TDC
3. Dampner mark aligned with 0
4. Pulled distributor and moved oil pump until dizzy pointed towards #1 cylinder when inserted
5. Installed distributor cap
6. moved all wires to correct spots on distributor.
7. installed plug and wire

Tried to start car, no luck. Moved distributor a few nudges. car still wont start. Had partner pump gas a little while turning engine over. Nothing but a popping and a few flames out the carb.

car still wont start....any suggestions

 

[texas69bee]

Are you at TDC of the compression stroke? Both intake and exhaust should be closed. Put your finger over the hole of #1 plug to verify pressure on your finger when rotating crank. When you are at TDC of the compression stroke, the slot in gear should be running front to back.

 

[71GTX440]

Will have to re-verify in the AM. Assuming that if I set it when I was TDC when not on the compression stroke, a quick turn over manually with distributor removed, readjust oil pump gear, reset everything, it should start up. Then fine tune adjust.

 

[Photon440]

The easiest way to see if you're 180 out is to just move each wire to the opposite terminal on the rotor cap and give the starter a spin.