c2 distributor plug wire indexing question

[Randy S.]

Re 66 327 300HP
I need a little help with my limited mechanical skills.
I was getting ready to pull my distributor because the vacuum can either bangs on the coil bracket or intake manifold. I read John Hinkley's article about the 13 tooth drive gear issue. I suspected the gear is 1/2 tooth out.

So I printed out one of Duke's fine archives about how to install the distributor (8/18/04)and proceeded. I bumped the engine to 0 and figured I'm either going to be at TDC for #1 or #6. I removed the distributor cap and noticed the rotor is pointing to #7 tower. The #7 tower has a wire going to the odd # cyl side. #1 cyl?? Reference UPC 6 B3 showing distributor orientation and tower numbers. The #1 tower ( between point window and vacuum can)has a wire going to the even side of the engine. If I assume # 7 tower has #1 plug wire on it,it looks to me like plug wires are misindexed by 2 towers. They all match up as far as going to the odd or even side of the engine. Can I determine #1 plug wire with an ohm meter?

Have I got this right? is there something wrong with the wire indexing?

Do I proceed as normal and leave wires alone and fix only the vacuum can issue?
Do I start from scratch?

Randy

[Timothy B.]

Re: c2 distributor plug wire indexing question

Randy,

If your car runs now then all you have to do is move all the wires two towers clockwise to where #1 is at the correct location on the cap. With the engine balancer pointer at about 10 degrees before TDC install the distributor with the rotor pointing forward as it will slip in and turn clockwise when the distributor gear lines up with the cam gear. This position should put the distributor into the correct tooth on the cam gear. Install the cap to check rotor alignment with #1 on the cap, if the rotor lines with the cap but you can't turn the distributor body counter clockwise to just open the points then jump the distributor one more tooth clockwise, you will then be able to turn the distributor body to where the points just open and the engine will start and be very close to correct timing.

The lower distributor gear has a dimple that will line with the rotor tip when installed correctly on the shaft so check this before installing the distributor. This orientation will allow proper engine timing and the vacuum advance will not interfere with coil bracket or manifold.

If you car does not run now then you need to start from scratch and make sure the plug wires are on the correct tower on the cap and are going to the correct spark plug. If your ohm meter will reach both ends of the wire you want to check as #1 it will confirm this and show you have a circuit.

[John H.]

Re: c2 distributor plug wire indexing question

Correct cap/vacuum advance orientation and wire indexing should look like this (not a Corvette, but it's the same).

[Randy S.]

Re: c2 distributor plug wire indexing question

John,

Thanks for the picture ( worth a 1000 words). Yep, I have wires that are misindexed. Sorry for the delay getting back to you, been traveling.