Is there a distributor/plug wires installation tutorial on this site?

[bull]

I've been searching for quite a while and I'm not finding what I would consider an "Installing a Distributor and Plug Wires for Dummies" tutorial on this site. So I'm supposed to have the engine @ TDC right? And then I install my dist. so that the rotor is pointing at cylinder #1, right? And then I install the #1 wire from that spot to number one. And then apparently I go around the cap counter clockwise from there with the firing order being 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 to the corresponding plugs, right? What am I forgetting?

[gtx6970]

Set the engine at TDC, install the dist drive where the slot runs as close to parallel to the cam as you can.
Install the dist with the rotor pointing #1 on the cap. than install all the wires.
Fire it up and set timing and enjoy

[bull]

Ok, so I finally got around to doing this and I turned the engine over to TDC, pulled the #1 plug to check and it looks like it's at the top of its stroke. I looked at where the rotor was pointing and it's pointing at #5. I thought it was supposed to be pointing at #1. Anyway, so I pulled the dist. out to have a look and found the drive gear slot running parallel to the cam, as it should be. I then put the dist. back in and it's still pointing at #5. Does it matter where the rotor is pointing with the engine at TDC? Wherever the rotor is pointing with the engine at TDC, that's where I put the #1 plug wire, right?

[FLG]

Bull,

It just needs to be pointing twards the #1 wire, not physcally to the #1 cylinder.

[bull]

Bull,

It just needs to be pointing twards the #1 wire, not physcally to the #1 cylinder.

Ok, that's kind of what I was thinking but I wanted to be sure. I can be a little obsessive in case you didn't notice.

A couple other things about static timing here. Would you set it at 0 TDC or set it at 10- or 15-degrees before when doing this, just to get it closer to where you'll likely want it? Second, if you're cranking the engine over by hand how do you tell when you're on the compression stroke? I can't really put my thumb over the hole with my right hand and crank the engine with my left. Has anyone tried plugging the hole with a cork, or something similar that will easily pop out upon compression?

EDIT** forget the compression stroke/TDC question. I got my wife to hold her thumb over the hole while I turned it over and she just about wet herself when the compression hit it.