spark plug wires
12-17-2008, 02:14 AM
#1
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Georgia
Posts: 127
spark plug wires
I was testing my spark plug wires with a little pen tool when one of them tested really bad and others were poor so i decided to replace the wires and spark plugs. Then I realized that a previous place i had taken my car to had put the wires on backwards, the #1 wire going to where the #5 plug is ( I have a 289). So since the engine runs does that mean the distributor is in wrong. Also I was reading an older post that said the rotor is supposed to be facing the #1 spark plug wire, is that correct because mine isn't doing that either. Everytime I go to replace something I find more stuff wrong.
12-17-2008, 07:39 AM
#2
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Dec 2006
Location: Citrus County, FL
Posts: 8,007
your distributor may not be installed correctly, in which case #1 would appear to be #5. if it ran ok, i'd leave the firing order alone - or pull the #1 spark plug and roll the motor over until your at TDC and then see where the rotor is facing.
also, msd 8.5 or taylor wires are probably your best bet and autolite copper core plugs ftw.
also, msd 8.5 or taylor wires are probably your best bet and autolite copper core plugs ftw.
12-17-2008, 03:19 PM
#6
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 9
Hope this helps
I was testing my spark plug wires with a little pen tool when one of them tested really bad and others were poor so i decided to replace the wires and spark plugs. Then I realized that a previous place i had taken my car to had put the wires on backwards, the #1 wire going to where the #5 plug is ( I have a 289). So since the engine runs does that mean the distributor is in wrong. Also I was reading an older post that said the rotor is supposed to be facing the #1 spark plug wire, is that correct because mine isn't doing that either. Everytime I go to replace something I find more stuff wrong.
12-18-2008, 09:09 PM
#8
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Georgia
Posts: 127
thanks for the responses, i understand everything except how to hand crank the engine. how do you do that? also, i put in a new vacuum advance with the wires and spark plugs, and now my engine is missing pretty bad and there's a lot of exhaust. i put in the shims (3) from the previous vacuum advance, do i need to redo the timing, that's the only thing i can think of, i tried adjusting the fuel inlet needles (their at 2 turns out right now) but still missing. thanks in advance
12-19-2008, 08:51 AM
#9
5th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Texas Hill Country
Posts: 2,100
To manually turn the motor, you can put a socket on the crank/balancer nut and turn clockwise.
Now stop and take a deep breath. Stop tweaking everything at once and work through it methodically or you will never get it all figured out. All you changed was plugs and wire right? Stop trying to tune the carb and focus on what you changed if everything was working ok before. Have you put a timing light on the car? What is your timing like at idle? Have you moved the dizzy? Have you made sure you do not have any vacuum leaks?
Now stop and take a deep breath. Stop tweaking everything at once and work through it methodically or you will never get it all figured out. All you changed was plugs and wire right? Stop trying to tune the carb and focus on what you changed if everything was working ok before. Have you put a timing light on the car? What is your timing like at idle? Have you moved the dizzy? Have you made sure you do not have any vacuum leaks?
Last edited by urban_cowboy; 12-19-2008 at 08:57 AM.
12-19-2008, 12:22 PM
#10
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: Texas
Posts: 9
Stop and regroup! First step get the distributor timed correctly, wires on the correct pug and distributor cap. Then start the engine at idle check your timing. Set your timing to the factory spec. Then you if you meesed with the carb. then you have to ajust the carb. back to, 5 inh20 at idle, if it is a 4 bbl. then you should be ok.