Classic Mustangs List Archive

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Mail From: Richard D George (email redacted)

I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on the
opposite side of the cap from the engine. I noticed in my manual that
the pictures show the #1 wire attaching to the dist cap at point close to
the engine. Should I be concerned? Why is this?

Richard

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Mail From: jeff christian (email redacted)

On Sat, 11 Jan 1997 17:50:02 -0400, you wrote:

>I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on the
>opposite side of the cap from the engine.
>
Mine is the same as yours. I suspect the picture is incorrect.

Jeff

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Mail From: Michael J. Kupec (email redacted)

> From: Richard D George <(email redacted)>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <(email redacted)>
> Subject: [CM:1145] Location of #1 plug wire on cap
> Date: Saturday, January 11, 1997 4:53 PM
>
> I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on the
> opposite side of the cap from the engine. I noticed in my manual that
> the pictures show the #1 wire attaching to the dist cap at point close to
> the engine. Should I be concerned? Why is this?
>
> Richard

It could be that someone pulled the distributor at one timeand installed it
backwards!
It would have been simpler then to move plug wires 180 degrees to fix the
problem!

Michael

" I live with constant fear and danger every day. . .
And sometimes she lets me go four-wheeling! "

"Get in, Sit down, Shut up, and Hold on!"

Michael J. Kupec ((email redacted))
Management & Data Systems, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Reston, Virginia, USA (703) 680-6903
1964 1/2 260 Convertible w/PS, PB, & Power Top
1965 289 HP "K" Coupe w/PS, PB, & Pony Int. (Early '65, not a GT)
1970 Bronco 351M (yes a "M" as in big Mother!)

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Mail From: jeff christian (email redacted)

On Sat, 11 Jan 1997 22:20:02 -0400, you wrote:

>On Sat, 11 Jan 1997 17:50:02 -0400, you wrote:
>
>>I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on the
>>opposite side of the cap from the engine.
The distributor cap goes on only one way. The spark advance can only extrude
from one side of the distributor. The dist cap is numbered for each cylinder.
Tough to do it wrong.

Jeff

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Michael J. Kupec (email redacted)

> From: jeff christian <(email redacted)>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <(email redacted)>
> Subject: [CM:1152] Re: Location of #1 plug wire on cap
> Date: Sunday, January 12, 1997 4:12 AM
>
> On Sat, 11 Jan 1997 22:20:02 -0400, you wrote:
>
> >On Sat, 11 Jan 1997 17:50:02 -0400, you wrote:
> >
> >>I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on the
> >>opposite side of the cap from the engine.
> The distributor cap goes on only one way. The spark advance can only
extrude
> from one side of the distributor. The dist cap is numbered for each
cylinder.
> Tough to do it wrong.
>
> Jeff

Sorry Jeff, but I beg to differ. You can rotate the rotor 180 degrees and
install the distributor in its normal position! I've seen it done many
times on both V8's, Sixes, and even four cylinders! A real PITA after
you've replaced the cam or rebuilt the engine and all you get when you
start is backfiring! Of course the logical thing to do is pull the
distributor out and rotata the rotor, but the lazy way was to just move the
plug wires! Why people do this I don't know, my preference is to pull the
distributor and rotate the rotor.
Do it right the first time and not jerry-rig the thing!!!

Michael

" I live with constant fear and danger every day. . .
And sometimes she lets me go four-wheeling! "

"Get in, Sit down, Shut up, and Hold on!"

Michael J. Kupec ((email redacted))
Management & Data Systems, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Reston, Virginia, USA (703) 680-6903
1964 1/2 260 Convertible w/PS, PB, & Power Top
1965 289 HP "K" Coupe w/PS, PB, & Pony Int. (Early '65, not a GT)
1970 Bronco 351M (yes a "M" as in big Mother!)

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Jeff Christian (email redacted)

> >
> > >>I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on the
> > >>opposite side of the cap from the engine.
> > The distributor cap goes on only one way. The spark advance can only
> extrude
> > from one side of the distributor. The dist cap is numbered for each
> cylinder.
> > Tough to do it wrong.
> >
> > Jeff
>
> Sorry Jeff, but I beg to differ. You can rotate the rotor 180 degrees and
> install the distributor in its normal position! I've seen it done many
> times on both V8's, Sixes, and even four cylinders!

Michael:
You are correct, it can be done as you suggest. However, the engine would not run.
I've seen it on an engine where it was possible also to rotate the whole distributor
180 degrees to compensate for the incorrect rotor placement. In the case of this
engine, it is not possible to rotate the entire distributor because of the vacuum
advance that sticks out. Further, the distributor cap only goes on one way, and they
even number the wire slots on the cap. Sorry I was not more clear initially.
Best regards,

Jeff

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Mail From: speegle (email redacted)

> > I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on the
> > opposite side of the cap from the engine. I noticed in my manual that
> > the pictures show the #1 wire attaching to the dist cap at point close to
> > the engine. Should I be concerned? Why is this?
> >


If the car is running well and the timing is within specs the loction
of #1 is not important (only the relationship between the timing and
crankshaft/cam) Having the spark plugs wires not in the factory
location should only limit the amount of adavnce or retard you can
adjust. Original early dist caps had #1 marked on the exterior to assure
correct location.


Jeff Speegle
MCA ANHJ

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Richard Ireland (email redacted)

I have to agre with Jeffs response that all that is critical is the
relation ship between the timing and the crankshaft/cam shaft.
Micheal is also correct in his assement that except that it can run
with the distributer placed in several diferent directions the only
problem may be that timing may be dificult because of vacum advance
placement. Some 6 cylinder distributors can only go two ways because
the drive is like a standard screw driver and fits in a slot so you
either get it right or 180 degrees out many people have ran into this
problem and some have came up with a unique solution, if you use a
dodge rotor it is exactly the same as a Ford but mounts 180 degrees
out, I worked on a car with this many years ago and like to never
have figured it out using the book, I even checked for compression on
the #1 cylinder and set the distributor to what I thought was right
but kept ending up 180 out. Eventuall just got #1 on compression and
rewired the cap so #1 wire was were the rotor pointed and it ran fine
until tune up time and we changed the rotor, guess what all of a
sudden it was 180 degrees out of time again. V8's can be done the
same way but in most cases the rotor can be set back in several
different positions depending on the gear on the distributor, again a
dodge rotor will fit but be 180 different.

Once you get the timing right the only difference is where the vac
advance points and as long as it does not hit the engine or interfere
with anything it can point anyplace and still run right since the
critical thing is that the rotor point to the proper wire when #1
cylinder is at the top of its compression stroke (top dead center).

(email redacted)

This read-only message was archived from a public mail list.
Mail From: Michael J. Kupec (email redacted)

> From: Jeff Christian <(email redacted)>
> To: Multiple recipients of list <(email redacted)>
> Subject: [CM:1156] Re: Location of #1 plug wire on cap
> Date: Sunday, January 12, 1997 1:02 PM
>
> > >
> > > >>I've got a '66 200. My #1 plug wire plugs into the dist cap on
the
> > > >>opposite side of the cap from the engine.
> > > The distributor cap goes on only one way. The spark advance can only
> > extrude
> > > from one side of the distributor. The dist cap is numbered for each
> > cylinder.
> > > Tough to do it wrong.
> > >
> > > Jeff
> >
> > Sorry Jeff, but I beg to differ. You can rotate the rotor 180 degrees
and
> > install the distributor in its normal position! I've seen it done many
> > times on both V8's, Sixes, and even four cylinders!
>
> Michael:
> You are correct, it can be done as you suggest. However, the engine
would not run.
> I've seen it on an engine where it was possible also to rotate the whole
distributor
> 180 degrees to compensate for the incorrect rotor placement. In the case
of this
> engine, it is not possible to rotate the entire distributor because of
the vacuum
> advance that sticks out. Further, the distributor cap only goes on one
way, and they
> even number the wire slots on the cap. Sorry I was not more clear
initially.
> Best regards,
>
> Jeff

Ok what I really mean is that the rotor and wires can be placed 180 degrees
out of orientation from the cap and distributor. IE: on a V8 the number one
cylinder wire is plugged into the number six, the number 5 is in the number
three, the number four is in seven, etc. The body of the distributor is in
it's normal position and the cap can't be placed on 180 degrees because of
a notch in the cap ((someone has probably managed though), but if the above
is done the engine will run.

Michael

" I live with constant fear and danger every day. . .
And sometimes she lets me go four-wheeling! "

"Get in, Sit down, Shut up, and Hold on!"

Michael J. Kupec ((email redacted))
Management & Data Systems, Lockheed Martin Corporation
Reston, Virginia, USA (703) 680-6903
1964 1/2 260 Convertible w/PS, PB, & Power Top
1965 289 HP "K" Coupe w/PS, PB, & Pony Int. (Early '65, not a GT)
1970 Bronco 351M (yes a "M" as in big Mother!)