I'm working on a '79 Pontiac Firebird with a 301 2BBL and HEI ignition for a friend. I have a Chilton's "Bible" that I'm going off of for the ignition information. I know the firing order is right from the order cast into the intake manifold of 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.
According to Chilton's the cylinders are numbered
7 5 3 1Front -->
8 6 4 2And #1 on the distributor cap is just to the left of the rear right-hand side hold-down clip.
My question is this correct? It is not marked on the cap.
More accurately, pull the number one spark plug and turn the motor with a wrench while feeling for pressure from that spark plug hole. When you start getting pressure it means you're on the compression stroke. Look at the timing mark/tab and continue to turn the motor until the mark is on zero degrees. At that point you are on TDC for number one cylinder. Wherever the rotor is pointing at that moment is the number one wire. They are numbered 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 clockwise on the cap from there.
JazzMan
JimV wrote:
Everything is right except what some people have told you as to direction of rotation of distributor..... Not all GMs are clockwise like chevys.. The 301 is a true Pontiac engine . Its dist. turns counter clockwise...SO find number one.....pull number one plug out and turn engine over until it is almost at TDC then pop of cap to see where rotor button is facing..that wire needs to go to number one plug...then go COUNTER- clockwise around cap with wires...1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2.
Oops! Sorry about that, didn't catch that it was a Pontiac engine.
JazzMan
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