ent72olds

I was tuning up the Vista Cruiser today, and was using the '65 CM as a reference for spark plug gap and wiring order. Well, first off, the pic in the CM is difficult to see. Second, after figuring it out, got all the wires in proper order, and no start. I double and triple checked everything, still no beans. Can anyone help with a diagram please? The motor is a '65 330 LC. Originally a 2 bbl, converted to 4 bbl. help please!

StarGeneral

wiring order on the plugs? or on the dizzy cap?

AZ455

Should be 1-3-5-7 from front to back drivers side, and 2-4-6-8 front to back passenger side.

If they are in the correct order on the distributor cap and on the motor, are you sure they are starting from the correct tower on the dist (plug 1 to tower 1)?

ent72olds

StarGeneral, both....AZ455, your diagram has the proper order on the dist cap, but turned cc one spot with relation to the lock pins in the '65 CM. I am using the pic on 13-32 Electrical section. Figure 13-64. Am I missing something? To be totally honest, the cap and wires I pulled off, the order was completely different. And the car ran.

joe_padavano

Erik,

The CSM diagram assumes the distributor is installed in the factory position relative to the cam. If the distributor has ever been out, it's possible that the gear got clocked in a different position relative to the cam. The location of the number one plug wire depends solely on the clocking of the distributor.

In the end, all that matters is that when the number one cylinder is on the compression stroke, the rotor needs to point to the number one plug wire. Once you get that right, the wires just go on in the 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2 firing order - COUNTERclockwise, of course.

ent72olds

Ah ha! Thanks Joe! Sounds like it could be the problem. I'll pull the wires off, and cap, and pull #1 plug. Quickly tap key 'till the #1 piston is on the way up while at the same time, the rotor is pointing to the #1 cylinder....then install in proper sequence. Thank again for the help!

AZ455

That's what I was trying to say, plug 1 to what is truly #1 on the dist, only described much better.

Whenever the wires need to be pulled off the dist or the dist cap removed for any reason, a small piece of masking tape on the dist #1 tower has saved me from this headache.

69442C

Make sure #1 piston is coming up on the compression stroke and not the exhaust stroke. Put your thumb over the plug hole while someone taps the key and you'll know when you are on the compression stroke because there will be more pressure pushing your thumb off the hole than when on the exhaust stroke.
Brian

ent72olds

Bryan, after re reading your post, I see now what you were trying to say! Joe knows I'm not the sharpest tool, so he just explained it differently. I'll stick to bodywork!
Brian, good point! Thanks for that tip!

ent72olds

Took advice of all who responded, and the issue has been solved. Thank you all again!

MDchanic

I tend to go whole-hog and use an opaque silver paint marker to neatly number each tower, then transfer the numbers to the new cap when I replace it.

I can usually tell which spark-plug-end of the wires goes to which cylinder by the length, but I've not been above numbering those, too.

Amazing how easily it goes together when I do that .

Glad you got it fixed, Erik!

- Eric