I feel really stupid, but I need help

[76k5blazerr]

Sounds more likely to me that he put the plugs on 180* off. If you have the engine at the wrong TDC then put the wires on (even in the right order) thinking you have it right, it'll be 180* off timing, right? Take the wires off, put them in the right spot/ order and everything is good.

I'm sure that once you were on the right TDC everything lined up just right and the plugs went on in the right spots.

No the weird thing is when I first put the wires on and did them wrong, it ran. When I got home and corrected the wires, it wouldn't start, and sounded terrible and I set the motor to TDC and the rotor was pointed the wrong way, I pulled the distributer and put it back in and it ran fine.

 

[ashman]

I suspect that the distributor was always pointed the "wrong" way. In reality it doesn't really matter which way it points, so long as when the engine is at TDC, where ever it points is where you put the #1 wire.
Most people line it up so that at TDC the distributor points towards #1 cylinder, so it's usually safe to put your first wire at that point and work your way around. Whoever set it before you must not have done that, but they put the wires on starting where it did point so it ran fine.

When you realized the wires were on wrong it was evidently close enough to right in order to run. When you "fixed it" to the way most of us do it it was too far off, until you also put the distributor in the way you expected.

I think that is way more likely than to think your distributor jumped a tooth while you went around the block.

 

[82355]

The previous owner stabbed the distributor with #1 in a different position than normal.

Pretty standard, always look which position on the cap is #1 before removing the plug wires.

Martin

 

[wallerus]

There 2 times when the timing mark will be at TDC. 1st at TDC on the compression stroke. 2nd TDC on exhaust stroke. Must be on compression stroke to check wires. Small block chevies are easy. As long as you have the proper wiring (18436572) and you are (14 degrees before will fire and run every time) TDC on the compression stroke you can wire number 1 anywhere you want.

 

[76k5blazerr]

I am aware

 

[Blue85]

The previous owner stabbed the distributor with #1 in a different position than normal.

Pretty standard, always look which position on the cap is #1 before removing the plug wires.

Martin

Or change them 1 at a time.