#1 plug wire position on distributor cap for a 440

[dodgedarren]

I believe the #1 plug wire goes into the post just left of the front cap clip.
Can someone please confirm without telling me I need to pull the #1 plug and
and all that top dead center hastle.

[Troy]

You can set pretty much any post to the #1 position (handy if the vacuum canister is hitting something right where you want to set the timing at). The important thing is that it's the one firing when the crank/cam think the #1 piston is at the top on the compression stroke. If you know your cam is installed correctly you can just turn the engine over until the timing mark on the crank balancer is at 0 then pull the distributor cap and see where the rotor is pointed. That will be Top Dead Center for #1 mechanically - although you must verify that #1 is on the compression stroke since the crank turns two revolutions per cam revolution. At the very worst you're 180 degrees out. You can spin the distributor body so that it's in a good position to allow movement when setting the timing (vacuum can pointing between the carb and front of the intake but not so far forward that it's going to hit the hoses or brackets on the front of the motor). When you find a nice spot, put the cap on and install the wires in the proper firing order (starting with #1 where the rotor is located). Then, turn the distributor a little to advance the timing (usually 16-18 degrees I think). Fire up the motor and set the timing for real. Don't worry about whatever number is on the cap or where the clips are.

Troy

[nvrbdn]

excellent discription troy.  i kept wanting to say "pull the plug"

[dodgedarren]

Hey Troy, Thank you for the detailed information. I will let you know how it goes.

Darren

[Troy]

Hang on, edited my post!

You can pull the #1 plug and stick your finger in there to verify you're on the compression stroke...

Or you can watch the rockers/valves if the valve cover is off.

Troy

[nvrbdn]

correct with the correction. you have to verify that you are on the compression stroke. i was thinking that tdc with the rotor toward the front of the motor means #1, but that is only if you arent out 180 on the dist. so its back to pull the plug and check the  compression stroke. bring it up to tdc and put the dist in position.(or watch the rockers).

[Nacho-RT74]

if oil shaft is disposed correctly ( slot parallel with camfasht ) number one will be pointing out around to the rear alt bracket

[Budnicks]

If it's a CEI , There is actually a phasing mark on the reluctor, the star looking thing with teeth on the shaft of the distributor, it will have some curved arrows & a couple of marks that look like this (   \ /   )that should be in the center of the magnetic pick up for the ignition  (& be 0.008"-0.010" clearance between the pick up & the reluctor, make sure to use a "non magnetic" feller gauge) to be "phased correctly" please don't shot the messenger, it's a little know fact that many over look when dropping in the oil pump shaft & phasing the shaft & reluctor correctly it will point to # 1 if the #1 cylinder is at the top of compression stroke... It will run with out the reluctor in the proper phasing just not as well...  Good luck..

[nrt69]

Budnicks,

would "improper phasing" affect timing?

[Budnicks]

Budnicks,

would "improper phasing" affect timing?

I have seen it make timing lights "flicker weird erratically"  kind of, for a lack of a better term... Looks like the timing mark is moving all over the place... So I would think it could... I wish I could say for sure... I heard there are cheap aftermarket versions or cheap rebuilds that don't have the marks even on the reluctor for phasing, I have never had 1 of those so I couldn't say for absolutely sure they don't...  You know I've asked that exact question to a bunch of Chrysler techs years ago & never got a straight answer...  I think it has some thing to do with the electronic ignition pick ups magnetic pulses being out of wack/phasing, with the signal from the ignition box...