69 F 250 390 distributor install question

[SoCal250]

Hello i have a rebuilt 390 and it was at TDC from the engine shop what is the correct way to install the distributor ? i seen many you tube videos with the vacum advance pointing straight ahead some off to the left close to the water neck what is a good way to install it using the vacum advance as a reference straight ahead or does it matter as long as it is dropped in firing on the number 1 ? and facing the dist from the front of the truck turning it to the left or right what advances or retards the timing ? I dropped mine in the way it was before i took it out and marked the wires that come out of the" dist points trigger wire" was in line with the heater water port on intake so the v advance was close to the water neck the truck dont start now but it ran in that position before i think i have a weak spark issue but dont know if i installed it correctly . Thanks .....

[colnago]

Everyone has their way, so this is mine.

1. Turn the engine to put #1 at top dead center of the compression stroke.
2. Turn it to line up the 10-degree mark on the harmonic balancer with the pointer.
3. Put the distro in the hole, vacuum can pointing forward.. Line the rotor to the #1 terminal. Turn it about 15 degrees clockwise (the rotor, not the distro).
4. Try to push the distro down. If it doesn't go down, it might not be lined up with the shaft for the oil pump. You might have to put a breaker bar on the crank, and turn it back-and-forth. Keep pushing the distro down while rotating the engine.
5. Swear lots and loudly, because the distro won't drop in unless it thinks the neighbors hear you swearing.
6. Eventually, the distro should drop down. Line the 10-degree mark on the harmonic balancer with the pointer, and make sure the rotor is pointing to the #1 terminal. Turn the distro to line it up. If it lines up, put the clamp in, and bolt it down. If it can't line up, pull the distro, go to step 3, but adjust the rotor appropriately to give you enough adjustment room.
7. Once you're satisfied, pull out the timing light, and start tuning.



Joseph

By the way, don't freak out if the vacuum can isn't pointing straight ahead. The engine doesn't care where it's pointing. The important thing is that the rotor is pointing to the #1 terminal when the #1 piston is coming up to top-dead center.

[SoCal250]

Thanks that's what I was thinking I see alot of you tube videos some are left /right /center it's all were you drop it in and the play to get the timing right I have it on 10 degrees it just left of center ....I dropped it in a little to the right knowing I had to move it left to get it to 10 .