Spark plug wire replacement: #1 position?????

[Geff McCarthy]

I have tried to replace the wires, following a diagram of a 400. The motor is a 400, but from a 78 truck. With some difficulty, I have turned the crank damper to the timing postion, and you can see the resulting rotor position. The distributor has not been moved, and sparks flew as ordered before!
Should I just start #1 wire here, at the 7 oclock (looking in from front). Then install in fiiring sequence? Thanks.

 

[davek]

Did it run before you pulled the old wires? If so it doesnt matter were the damper is just install the new wires were the old ones were. Firing order should be on the intake.

 

[sam dupont]

rotor pointing at the #1 terminal of the cap when at TDC

 

[Geff McCarthy]

Thanks! g On your photo, there is no indent on the crank balancer. There is one visible in my photo. Could it be 180 deg out? The orientation of the picture, Left to Right, is the front on the left? Thanks again.

 

[Dave6T4]

You might not be on the compression stroke. On a 4 stroke engine, that balancer will come to 0 degrees twice per cycle. Rotor looks to be 180 degrees out. Pull #1 spark plug out, and put your thumb over the plug hole. Jog your engine over slowly, until you feel whoosh of air with your thumb. #1 piston is now at TDC on compression stoke. The timing mark on your balancer should be near the "0" on the timing tag. Turn your balancer by hand until it is. The tip of the rotor will now be pointing at #1 spark plug tower. Rewire accordingly from there. BB distributors are wired CCW. SB distributors are wired CW.

 

[sam dupont]

If you haven't had the distributor out then yes the rotor is pointing 180 off but if you're just changing wires you don't care about the timing mark or the rotor. Number one is to the downward side of the clip that holds the cap down. Then it's 18436572, counter clockwise

 

[Black_Sheep]

In the picture it appears that your rotor is messed up, the long metal part that contacts the center of the cap looks flattened and twisted. If it is, it probably won't start, even if the plug wires are on correctly...

 

[HALIFAXHOPS]

Also depends on if the oil pump drive is indexed correctly to line up as per FSM if you care if not just find where #1 is pointing and index the wires starting there.

 

[GTXDAN]

Good time to learn about firing order, timing and distributor installation. Do like @Dave6T4 said and pull #1 plug and crank it till it blows pressure out with your finger over the hole. Line up mark on the damper with 0 on the timing tab and #1 is at TDC. If you don't like the rotor location pull the dizzy and turn it. To turn it anything less than 180 you will have to turn the intermediate shaft too.
If this is to much leave the dizzy where it is and put #1 plug wire on the cap over the rotor and it's 18436572 CCW.

 

[Dave6T4]

If you are going to pull the distributor out, check where the distributor drive slot is positioned on the intermediate shaft. With #1 piston at TDC, the slot should point straight ahead, in line with the camshaft. If not, the intermediate shaft will have to come out and turned to achieve this.