Hey guys, I recently decided to check distributor firing order...put steel ball up on flywheel....pulled distributor cap and the rotor button was on the number six wire....is it possible I have been running 180 degrees off all this time? I ask this because when I put a timing light on it I have to advance the timing way up for it to smooth out and if I put it on the mark, it is to retarded and runs rough almost to the point of cutting off. New plugs, new cap, new points, new carbs, no vacuum leaks. What I'm asking is shouldn't the rotor button line up with the mark on the distributor when the bell housing pointer is lined up with steel ball on flywheel? Any help with this is appreciated.
If you're new to troubleshooting ignition systems, here's a little reading that should get you headed in the right direction. http://www.jalopyjournal.com/forum/threads/hot-rod-technical-library-basic-ignition-systems.983424/ And there's even some cool old pictures to go along with the article. Because as we all know, HAMBers love photos!
You realize that the crank turns twice for every one time the rotor turns? So at TDC on one turn the rotor would be on #1 Given the 153624 firing order on the next turn it will be on #6. That's because #1 is on the exhaust stroke and doesn't need a spark.
Thanks Rich, as soon as I posted I thought about that and realized I was on the exhaust stroke ( I feel like an idiot).