Plug Wire Question
New User
Joined: Jun 2001
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Plug Wire Question
Please excuse my mechanical/electrical ignorance. I have a 65 F100 with the original 352. I am replacing the plug wires and have the original shop manual with the diagram that shows which plug wire goes where on the distributor cap. My truck currently is wired differently. The firing order is the same, but the placement of the plug wires on the distributor is not. Why would it be different? If I want to put the wiring back to it's original configuration, what do I need to do? I appreciate any help.
Steve
Steve
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Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 5,130
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From: Brea CA
Plug Wire Question
Sounds like someone pulled the dizzy and did not get it back in the same phase. You can run it in any phase as long as the timing is correct but go too far off and the vacuum can will hit something before you can rotate it to the correct static timing.
What you need to do is put the engine at TDC. Mark the dizzy base where the cap says #1. Now pull the dizzy out enough to disengage the gear, the rotor will turn a little as it’s disengaging. Orientate the housing with the vacuum can pointing forward and the rotor pointing just before the mark you made. Push the dizzy in and engage the gear, the rotor will turn a little and hopefully align with your mark now. If it only goes in part way, bump the starter while pushing down and it should fully engage.
Reattach your plug wires into the cap as the shop manual shows. Try starting it, you may have to slightly rotate the dizzy one way or another to get it going. Now put timing light on it and set it to specs. If all went well you should be back to stock.
Barry
What you need to do is put the engine at TDC. Mark the dizzy base where the cap says #1. Now pull the dizzy out enough to disengage the gear, the rotor will turn a little as it’s disengaging. Orientate the housing with the vacuum can pointing forward and the rotor pointing just before the mark you made. Push the dizzy in and engage the gear, the rotor will turn a little and hopefully align with your mark now. If it only goes in part way, bump the starter while pushing down and it should fully engage.
Reattach your plug wires into the cap as the shop manual shows. Try starting it, you may have to slightly rotate the dizzy one way or another to get it going. Now put timing light on it and set it to specs. If all went well you should be back to stock.
Barry
New User
Joined: Jun 2001
Posts: 13
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Plug Wire Question
Thanks Barry,
You hit the nail on the head. I took another look at the distributor, and sure enough, the vacuum can was not facing the same direction as that in the Ford manual, and the plug wires were connected exactly as the manual based on the placement of the can. I appreciate your help.
Steve
You hit the nail on the head. I took another look at the distributor, and sure enough, the vacuum can was not facing the same direction as that in the Ford manual, and the plug wires were connected exactly as the manual based on the placement of the can. I appreciate your help.
Steve
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