Expert: Roger J.M. Warrington - 3/30/2007

Question
I have a 1983 chevy caprice with a 305ci that I recently rebuilt myself, this is the fourth i've done so far. I put a new timing chain and sprocket set with a mild crane cam also, I installed the sprocket dots closest to each other, rotated the crank 360deg. until both dots were at 12 o'clock put my spectre chrome cover on with the separate timing tab. To make sure the #1 piston was at TDC and in the firing Stroke I did the finger trick with the spark plug hole and I took the valve cover off and both valves were closed on the #1 cylinder. I installed the distributor, pointed the rotor at #1 on the cap, pluged up the wires and trippled checked them. When I tried to crank the car it wouldn't, turned the dist. counter-clockwise a little and it idled rough, took the cap off and the rotor was pointing a little at #8 cylinder wire but this was the only way the car would start. After the car warmed up it ran smoother but the real problem was when I used my timing light with the inductor clamp on the #1 spark wire the timing mark was showing up on the opposite side(left side) of the water pump but my timing tab is on the right. When I put the inductor clamp on the #8 cylinder the timing mark shows up in the right place(WEIRD!). I tried  putting the dist. in at 180deg. opposite of were it was but it back fired through the carb, BIG ONES! The car won't start when rotor is at #1 only when I turn the dist. towards #8 is when the car begins to startup and again when it starts the TIMING TAB is on WRONG SIDE.

P.S. I have new wires, cap, rotor and plugs gapped to .o45

Answer
Rob
I do not understand when you say the dots were together after you turned
them 180%. I would pop the no#1 plug and see that the t.d.c. is on the center line t.d.c than check to see if it is on the no#1 plug and faceing the no#1 plug wire. it might be off by one tooth.  check it again. I bet it is the dist. in wrong