Spark plug wire mess HELP!

[chopttop]

Started to do a little under the hood work on the '71 C30, cab/chassis w/camper I bought last fall. Was told the engine was rebuilt a few owners back, you know how that goes, well the engine is kinda clean and it has a HEI dist. Well when I went to change wires, cap, rotor I thought I had things marked pretty well, haven't tried to start it, want to change plugs and put a different carb on it first, but to double check myself I pulled up info on 350 firing order 18436572 , standing in front ,looking from front to back it should be 1357 on left and 2468 on right, also said my #1 cylinder cap on rotor should be (2) poles counter clockwise from connecting port. Well that isn't how it is, I don't know if I screwed it up, more than likely, or it was kind of screwed up before I got it, I think I screwed it up. If I follow what I read and wrote in the post I should be able to put #1 in that 2nd post from the connection port and go clockwise? firing order is clockwise?, and then put in #8,#4... I know that the boots are at least on the plugs as I pulled them off, my mess up is w/the boots/dist. Thanks for any help. Choptop

[GREASEMONKEY72]

the left side of the engine is 1357 and the right side is 2468 and the fireing order does go clockwise on the dizzy and with the #1 cyl on tdc compression the rotor should be pointing at the number one cyl, i hope that helps any, and other will chime in with more and better help and some pics to im sure

goodluck

[cdowns]

1357 drivers side/ 2468passenger side

[1BadSS]

1357 is on the right when you're looking at the engine, 2468 is on the left while looking directly at it.

[cdowns]

Originally Posted by 1BadSS

1357 is on the right when you're looking at the engine, 2468 is on the left while looking directly at it.

and if youre looking at the engine sideways??

[1BadSS]

Originally Posted by cdowns

and if youre looking at the engine sideways??

Depends on which sideways you mean.

[piecesparts]

Standing at the radiator and facing the engine compartment, the plugs on the driver's side (just under the brake booster and master cylinder are the odd numbered ones (1357) the others on the side with the heater housing are the even numbered ones (2468).

[fastwillie 696969]

the forward head is always number 1
here a trick to remember the sbc firing order 18-34-56-72
just remeber birthday age 18 before 34 34 before 56 and 56 before 72

[chopttop]

I thought it was 18436572 not 18345672 ?

[fastwillie 696969]

Originally Posted by chopttop

I thought it was 18436572 not 18345672 ?

YOUR RIGHT I GOT THE 34-65 BACKWARDS
NO WONDER MY TRUCK HAS A MISS LOL

[chopttop]

"Have you re-checked your firing order? 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 in a clockwise rotationI would check that first. Also, is #1 at TDC? If you're having trouble finding TDC you can pulled the driver's side valve cover and make sure both valves are closed on #1. Keep us posted."
I pulled this off an old post on the forum, I was under the impression that #1 was front left, looking from front or passenger side, looking from cab?

[Draggn66]

Originally Posted by chopttop

I was under the impression that #1 was front left, looking from front or passenger side, looking from cab?

From the front to rear on the drivers side is 1 3 5 7. Passenger side is 2 4 6 8.

[chopttop]

Thank you guys, the haze has lifted, whether I am in the truck , in front of it or on the side I now know what is #1 cylinder !

[Tx Firefighter]

Left and right are always denoted from the driver seat. Every manual is written that way.

Left side is steering column and brake master cylinder side.
Right side is glovebox side and where your girlfriend sits.

[RustyParts]

Hopefully the previous owner put #1 in the dizzy where the manual said it should go.

[Sonny]

SInce things seemed out of whack I would make sure the #1 cylinder is TDC like choptop said. Pull the distributor cap to make sure the rotor is pointing at the #1 sparkplug. If it is not correct, reverify you have TDC on the #1 cylider and then restab the distributor to where the rotor is pointing at the #1 spark plug. You may have to take a long flat blade screwdriver to reposition the oil pump shaft to get it to engage the distributor shaft. Once you know you have this the make sure you firing order is correct with the rest of the plug wires. Good Luck

Sonny

[bryanw1968]

It doesn't matter which one on the cap you call #1. Just as long as the rotor is point at it at TDC. It is just convenient to have it be on the front right.

[poff]

The distributor can be inserted at as many angles as there are teeth on the gear. I usually try to put the distributor in the same way as the factory but the engine will run just as well as long as the wires are in the correct order and #1 is at #1 TDC. A lot of times an HEI or after market distributor will have clearance issues with the vacuum advance or an after market manifold so it may have to be rotated from the stock location. As many people stated in the earlier posts, you just need to find TDC on the ignition stroke of #1 and put the #1 wire on the closest contact to the rotor. As a rule, I usually take the old cap and wires off as an assembly to make it easier to put the new wires on in the correct contact. Do not forget to use the di-electric grease on both sides of the rubber washer that goes under the coil, HEIs are notorious for burning through the cap if you don't. FYI (Unsolicited advice): the NAPA premium cap seems to be the best one, brass inserts and well made. Made For You has really nice wire looms to keep your wires nice, Summit sells them.

[PanelDeland]

Originally Posted by Tx Firefighter

Left and right are always denoted from the driver seat. Every manual is written that way.

Left side is steering column and brake master cylinder side.
Right side is glovebox side and where your girlfriend sits.

All of this is true unless youare a "Limey" or "Down Under"Then the last line is backwards.J/K lol

[chopttop]

I brought #1 cylinder, front right ,standing at front of vehicle, to the top, rotor, HEI, is pointing to #7, as I understand it I now take the end of the #1 plug wire/boot and snap it on the tower of the dist cap directly on top of the rotor, that is now my #1 and go clockwise w#8,#4... ? Thanks for the help.

[chopttop]

After my previous post I went out and put the dist on and behold the cap end of the #1 cylinder wire was on top of the rotor, I followed the others around , clockwise 8,4,3 ... and I guess I had not screwed up, crazy. Found out earlier, when I went to get new plugs that it is not the original engine, but an older one, does not take the smaller, peanut plugs, but the larger, older style ones, was told by second to last owner , that it had been rebuilt by a previous owner, it still has a newer looking Chevy orange paint to the engine, HEI ignition, Quadrajet carb, need to replace, broken, and a '69 or so engine. Thanks guys.