New MSD drop in ready to run distributor Part 2

[72bumbee]

I’m confused now... someone sent me the firing order from a site called boxwrench... it tells me the firing sequence goes counter clockwise as looking at the top of the rotor.... firing sequence being 1,5, etc... well as I’m putting on the new wires, numbe one went to number one, but the next one moving counter clockwise should be 5 but my old wire goes to numbe 4!
I’m stuck now.... should I put it to number 5 or number four?
If I had screwed up and accidentally went clockwise wouldn’t that be the last in the sequence be 8?
Anyway... any help would be appreciated

[DuckRyder]

Double check your work, should be 1, 5...

Assuming you have cylinder numbering correct 1-4 passenger side, 5-8 driver side...

[DuckRyder]

SEE:

[72bumbee]

I went ahead and put them in the correct firing order in relation to what you stated. 1 5 4 2 6 3 7 8 in a counter clockwise direction. then I hooked it up to the timing light and my earlier mark does not even show as the light flashes.
The engine doesn't even act like it wants to even try firing..... just crank crank crank...............
thanks for the pics DuckRyder!!

[DuckRyder]

Can you tell how far off it is and in which direction?

You could try moving the distributor while you crank and watch the timing light (going to need help for that probably)... and see if you can get it to fire...

Got a spark tester?

Dial back timing light?

[72bumbee]

If you can tell me what I need to do testing, I’ll run and get it. I don’t know how to use a timing gun yet, but the old man was telling me that by virtue of the light blinking every time the rotor passed number one that it signifies that I’m getting a spark. I was going to try dialing the knob around to see if I could find a pattern but i wanted to hear something from you all. I’ve changed so much lately that it wouldn’t surprise me if perhaps the new coil were dead or perhaps the new ignition switch or even the new pig tail from the firewall to the coil and gauges? It has me sort of stumped as to where to look or what handy dandy tool may be out there?

[DuckRyder]

A spark tester just looks like a spark plug with an alligator clip
On it. You can make one with an old spark plug and some wire or just lay it where it’s grounded well and see if you got a spark and we will see where to go from there ...

[72bumbee]

I’ll go to harbor freight tomorrow and get the tester.
Then check them all and get back to you.

[DuckRyder]

For spark, just check one and see if you have spark te verify dizzy wiring ... if you have spark then it’s on to figure ing out timing... but thinking ng back if it’s firing a timing light it must have spark...

[72bumbee]

that's what the old man was saying...about the timing light firing... i dunno... Ill still make sure I'm getting spark then maybe try determining where the timing actually is.
I just hope it comes together soon. I'm feeling a bit frustrated right now.

[72bumbee]

I took pics of my timing marks, they barely show up. There seems to be two paint marks on the balancer but the other marks show ATC on the left... TC in the middle and RTC on the right hand end of the hash marks.
Is there a way to make these stand out better? I can’t seem to even bump the engine around until I have a remote switch. Going to get it this morning.

[DuckRyder]

White out (or any other kind of paint, white or yellow) works.

I thought a stock FE had a big grove in the balancer... been so long since I had one though...

[colnago]

I was working on my dizzy a few weeks ago, and when I reinstalled it, I was one tooth off. It retarded the spark to the point where it wouldn't fire at the right time. Like you, nothing but crank, crank, crank.

For a ball-park check, turn the crank until the timing mark is pointing to 10 degrees BTDC. Pop off the dizzy cap. Depending on whether you're on the compression stroke or exhaust stroke, the rotor should be pointing to #1 or #6. If it's pointing anywhere else your timing is off (dizzy off by a tooth, or harmonic balancer has slipped, or ...). But as I said, this is just ball-park. This might not be the optimum timing for you, but it will run.

Joseph

[72bumbee]

Well after getting my fancy fancy remote starter, I was better able to mess around with it and after several trips around the balancer, I managed to be able to for sure double check and make certain I was TDC on the compression stroke and also somewhere close to the #1 plug.
After putting the plug back in and loosening the dizzy, I got it running.... rough..... but running..... I had pops turn the dizzy until it was running continually and then I hopped out and hooked up the timing light and got it dialed in. Then I bumped off the auto choke and it was all out of time again!! How does that happen? The guy that put the new engine in it, must not have known much about firing sequence or setting an auto choke.
So it’s running pretty good. Would still like to swap out the plugs and do a general tune up on it.
One last question though.... it seems my old air filter can won’t fit properly with the HEI style distributor? Any suggestions on a new kind and also what to do with the valve cover tube that feeds into the old filter canister?

[DuckRyder]

Glad you got it running!

Sorry I was arms deep in mine today so I wasn’t much help.

You can’t set the timing on high idle because the centrifugal advance is kicking in. (at least you can’t without a fancy timing light and pretty good knowledge of the curve)