88 Vette CCW Dizzy rotation?
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
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From: Russellville Missouri
88 Vette CCW Dizzy rotation?
On my wife's 88 I mentioned about the firing order. It is proper firing order but wired counterclockwise. My buddy I bought the car from swears he didn't mess with the plug wires. I cannot for the life of me imagine this engine actually running with the distributor as it is. Is this possible? Mind you, I've been wrenching and doing bodywork for the last 28 years and never been able to make one run wired this way. At least number one wire is on the terminal that matches #1 in firing position.
Pro
Joined: May 2006
Posts: 637
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Best thing would be if you took a pic and post here, so one can see what you mean.
I think the whole dizzy sits 180 degrees from what is normal, including all wires.
In that case there is no problem, just pop of the cap with the wires still on, if possible.
Then unbolt the dizzy and move it 180 degrees thereby keeping the rotor pointing on the same spot in the dizzy.
If it is this, what is going on, you must have really long sparkplug wires...
Sounds out of this planet.
No way you can have the wires mounted on the dizzy CCW with the sparkplug wires mounted correctly on the plugs and have it running.
I think the whole dizzy sits 180 degrees from what is normal, including all wires.
In that case there is no problem, just pop of the cap with the wires still on, if possible.
Then unbolt the dizzy and move it 180 degrees thereby keeping the rotor pointing on the same spot in the dizzy.
If it is this, what is going on, you must have really long sparkplug wires...
Sounds out of this planet.
No way you can have the wires mounted on the dizzy CCW with the sparkplug wires mounted correctly on the plugs and have it running.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Russellville Missouri
Best thing would be if you took a pic and post here, so one can see what you mean.
I think the whole dizzy sits 180 degrees from what is normal, including all wires.
In that case there is no problem, just pop of the cap with the wires still on, if possible.
Then unbolt the dizzy and move it 180 degrees thereby keeping the rotor pointing on the same spot in the dizzy.
If it is this, what is going on, you must have really long sparkplug wires...
Sounds out of this planet.
No way you can have the wires mounted on the dizzy CCW with the sparkplug wires mounted correctly on the plugs and have it running.
I think the whole dizzy sits 180 degrees from what is normal, including all wires.
In that case there is no problem, just pop of the cap with the wires still on, if possible.
Then unbolt the dizzy and move it 180 degrees thereby keeping the rotor pointing on the same spot in the dizzy.
If it is this, what is going on, you must have really long sparkplug wires...
Sounds out of this planet.
No way you can have the wires mounted on the dizzy CCW with the sparkplug wires mounted correctly on the plugs and have it running.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Russellville Missouri
I forgot to mention, I pulled the cap and had my son crank the engine over, the rotor turns clockwise as it should. It has a new rotor and cap, I'm thinking my buddy doesn't want to fess up to his mistake.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,700
Likes: 1,667
From: moraga ca
Last possible explaination. You have a marine cam with a reverse rotation pattern. The distributor with a normal drive will run clockwise, but tdc will go from cylinder #1 to cyl #2 instead of #8. Might want to check the valves when rotating it 90 degrees from tdc to make sure #8 is at tdc.
Melting Slicks
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 2,082
Likes: 3
From: Conowingo Maryland
383 I was kinda thinking that but he said the car ran before. with Reverse marine engines the car wont move wrong rotation. Are you sure you have the rotor on right seen that before. But I would pull #1 plug unhook dist. have someone tap engine over while you have your finger covering the plug hole. When it gets near TDC the compression will blow your finger away from the hole. You will fill a blowing pressure 2 times durning the cycle the strongest being compression that is the one you want. when you feel that rotate your engine to TDC it should only be an 1/8th of a turn or so. This will get you on TDC now pull your cap and the rotor should be faceing to #1 on the cap. if it is not something is messed up. So start fresh and put #1 plug wire where it needs to be and follow the firing order for the rest.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
Likes: 0
From: Russellville Missouri
383 I was kinda thinking that but he said the car ran before. with Reverse marine engines the car wont move wrong rotation. Are you sure you have the rotor on right seen that before. But I would pull #1 plug unhook dist. have someone tap engine over while you have your finger covering the plug hole. When it gets near TDC the compression will blow your finger away from the hole. You will fill a blowing pressure 2 times durning the cycle the strongest being compression that is the one you want. when you feel that rotate your engine to TDC it should only be an 1/8th of a turn or so. This will get you on TDC now pull your cap and the rotor should be faceing to #1 on the cap. if it is not something is messed up. So start fresh and put #1 plug wire where it needs to be and follow the firing order for the rest.
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Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
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From: moraga ca
With number one in firing position, IE, both valves closed after intake has opened, closed and piston returns to TDC is how I always find number one to wire any distributor. He has number one in the correct position but the distributor is wired backwards/counterclockwise. All the valves open and close in the proper order in the correct rotation and the rotor turns clockwise, that is why I thought it funny my buddy swears he didn't touch the plug wires but I was also curious because if he indeed didn't touch them, how could it run.
Thread Starter
Intermediate
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 41
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From: Russellville Missouri
I've owned a small restoration/hot rod shop for the last 15 years and do everything other than upholstery on cars (for some reason I can't sew). The price was right on this one so I jumped on it. now I have to get it right so my wife will drive it. We're still trying to decide on the color. She's been playing with the mixing bank and seeing what color she can mix up to satisfy her. I like having a "worthless" Vette I can modify and have fun with. My last fun one was a 79 with a 11.5:1 383 , T-350 and leg burners. I painted it torch red with a little extra yellow and some pearl red thrown in the intercoat of clear. It was fun but I sold it to buy my 34 Chevy project.
Last edited by cyclopsblown34; Aug 24, 2010 at 12:54 PM.
