kevs66coupe

i have a 66 stang with a 302 that i just put in it and i was putting the spark plug wires in and i was wondering..i turned the engine over until the number 1 piston was at top dead center but i don't know if it was on the compression stroke or the power stroke? does it have to be on the power stroke to make sure that im installing the plug wire right or does it even matter? aslo ...my dipstick tube is hitting the alternator so i turned it so it wouldn't hit it ...i haven't started the engine up yet but does it matter what direction the dipstick goes in? thanks for all replies

Stepman

Yes, it does matter where you put the wires. The easiest way to do it is to pull your no. 1 plug out, put your thumb on the hole and turn the motor over till it pops your thumb off. You can turn the motor by hand or carefully bump the starter and you'll feel the compression build. You only need to be close, not exact. Then, look at your timing marks on the balancer pulley and continue to turn the motor till it lines up at TDC. (clock-wise) Now, pull the dist cap and see where the rotor is pionting....that is where you want to put the no. 1 wire. The dipstick shouldn't matter.