Hi all,

I decided to tune my mustang for the first time in 10 years or so. Last time, about 8 months ago, I took it to a local shop. I didn't have a good experience with that shop, dinged up the car and the engine ran worse after they tuned it (they left a spark plug wire off).

The car just got back from painting and the emissions were due so I decided to check over the state of the tune.

I found something really odd that I'm not sure how to fix.

When I put the timing light sensor on spark plug wire #1, I wasn't seeing any timing marks at all. I got underneath and marked it with chalk. Now I could see them, but they were far to the right, under the timing light. Advancing things as far as I could, I could just barely see my chalk marks.

I cranked the engine around till the timing mark was close to the proper timing mark. When I opened the distributor cap, the rotor was pointing towards 4 not 1. I checked the firing order counter clock-wise around the distributor and it matched the order stamped on my old (now removed) intake manafold. The order looks right, but it appears to be pointing at 4 at TDC.

Am I doing this right?

Anyway, it looks like the last guy screwed up the placement of the spark plug wires so that the firing for #1 doesn't match the timing marks.

When I moved the sensor to#4, then the timing marks became visable. The car runs well, but this is really screwy and I'd like to straigten it out without blowing up my valves.

One other thing. It looks like he replaced my distributor. I don't remember paying for one. But the cap is gray now (I might have paid for a new cap), and the vacuum advance has two ports when I only remember one).

Thanks,

John

 

the distributor was stabbed 180 deg out, it will work just fine as is, or you can pull it and stick it back in the right way

 

replacing the distributor cap is common for a tune up. Don't need to pull the whole thing. I would follow up with a complaint to the Better Business Bureau as well. They sound like they don't know what they are doing and should not be working on classic cars.

 

So, I'm going to try and fix it.

Does this sound right?

1. Rotate engine till the timing mark is pointed to 0 degrees.
2. Open the distributor up, rotate things till the rotor is pointed to cylinder 1.
3. Double check the firing order counter clockwise.
4. Put it back together and hope it doesn't explode.

 

usually when the dizzy is off, you need to spin it. so set the #1 to tdc, then take the cap off, loosen up the hold down bolt off, then pull it up and move the dizzy until the rotor points twords one. if that made no sence, tell me and ill try to retype it

 

No, no, no, no, NO!!!! Are you sure you are using the right plug? If you are 180 out, the damn thing won't run. By turning it to zero on the pulley, then setting it to number one IS WRONG! You want to move "number one" to the top. You can do this by removing the plug and "feeling" for compression, THEN continue to turn pulley til zero. This tells you that number one is in the right place. then, you can check to see if the dist is correct.

Sorry 66, ....missed that?


Remember, #1 on a Ford is on the passenger side.

 

When installing my dist. I loosened all spark plugs and removed the #1 spark plug and then hand cranked the engine untill I got compression in the #1 cylinder. I held my thumb to the hole to feel it building pressure. That way I knew I was on the compression stroke. I then put a long drinking straw into the spark plug hole and watched it come up and stopped hand cranking it when it was at its highest position. That made TDC. Then installed the dist. with the rotor pointing toward the # 1 position. I had to try a few times because it twists as it goes down but I gradually got it perfect.

 

I dimly recall doing this once in the distant past.

So, make sure 1 is at the top of the compression stroke, then re-seat the distributor to point to wire 1.

Since you can re-seat the distributor in pretty much any way you want. Is there a preferred placement for spark plug wire 1 on the distributor. Seems like you could place it such that all the spark plug wires get in each other's way.

 

what do you mean by puting it to zero on the pully?

i think we were saying the same thing, but you actually made sence. im not very good at writing whats goin on in my little peanut. but if you gave the engine i could do it. ive re timed, and re timed, and retimed engines before haha.

180 off it will mostlikely backfire thru the carb when your trying to start it. and, well, atleast on chebys if your 180 off, you CAN (not saying its the best) put the #1 wire where 6 usually goes because your putting the #1 wire 180* across, then rewire it starting with that. and i would tell you but i dont know ford firing orders, as there seem to be so many atleast i know if differs from 302-351.i love chebys in that way. 18436572 for all of the SB's at least as far as i know.

 

i really dont see how you could put the dizzy in any way? you need the rotor to point to where the #1 plug wire goes on the cap. it can be a real PITA to get it so seat right too