Question on distributor and plug wires - mislabeled mistake!

soundview

Cadet
Joined
Jul 6, 2010
Messages
14
5.0L V8 Mercruiser

Like an idiot, last night I removed the distributor cap and wires and mislabeled them. After replacing w/ a new cap, the engine wouldn't catch and I realized my mistake.

My question: With the distributor cap off, will the rotor still be pointing to cylinder #1 or did my attempt to start the boat kick the rotor out of alignment? Can I reinstall the spark plug wires by using the rotor as pointing to cylinder #1 or do I have to find TDC and start from there?

Only the cap was off. The distributor was not removed from the engine.

Thanks in advance,

SoundView.
 

81 Checkmate

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Jul 20, 2010
Messages
1,360
Re: Question on distributor and plug wires - mislabeled mistake!

Start with TDC on the COMPRESION stroke on No1. piston...... Then look and see if your pointer is pointing at or around 0 mark on the harmonc balencer.... if so then you are TDC. Now look at the rotor...is it pointing to No1 on the cap....if so then you are good. Put cap back on and start with No 1 on the cap and conect wire to No1 plug.... And so on for the rest. Should go in clockwise direction with fireing order.

Good luck!
 

Bt Doctur

Supreme Mariner
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Aug 29, 2004
Messages
19,092
Re: Question on distributor and plug wires - mislabeled mistake!

if the motor is still a virgin, install the new cap and use the numbers on the cap as a guide
rotor turns clockwise ,so use 1,8,4,3,6,5,7,2 on the cap
 

soundview

Cadet
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Jul 6, 2010
Messages
14
Re: Question on distributor and plug wires - mislabeled mistake!

Thank you very much for the quick replies.

Assuming TDC previously was correctly found on the No. 1 piston on the compression stroke and only the cap were removed and not the distributor itself, would the rotor still be pointing to the placement for the No 1 plug or did my cranking the engine screw up the rotor placement?
 

Don S

Honorary Moderator Emeritus
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Aug 31, 2004
Messages
62,321
Re: Question on distributor and plug wires - mislabeled mistake!

The rotor turns as the engine turns it doesn't just stay pointing at #1.
 

Bondo

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Apr 17, 2002
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70,464
Re: Question on distributor and plug wires - mislabeled mistake!

Thank you very much for the quick replies.

Assuming TDC previously was correctly found on the No. 1 piston on the compression stroke and only the cap were removed and not the distributor itself, would the rotor still be pointing to the placement for the No 1 plug or did my cranking the engine screw up the rotor placement?

Ayuh,... If you now hand rotate the motor to the TDC line,...

The rotor will be pointin' at #1, or #8....

If #8, rotate the motor another revolution...
 
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