New MSD drop in ready to run distributor

[72bumbee]

Part # 8595 on the MSD site.
After the total destruction of the old Unilite dizzy and the Mallory ignition module, i decided to clear the slate and just go in the most modern and compatible path i could locate.
I went to several of the performance sites and came across the above mentioned distributor. Looks like a real nice plug and play option so to speak.
My major problem is that i cant find the #1 spark plug wire indicated on the new cap like it is on the old one!?
it is a red cap with the only imprint on it being the MSD logo and it is centered between to posts.
Do i muscle the crank shaft around to get TDC and just use that indication from the rotor as the #1 post if the cap were actually on it and just trade the wires off the old cap as i go around? I have no idea where the old distributor was situated in relation the how the new one will go in. They are nothing alike so using reference points from the old one are useless to me.
Is there something I'm missing or possibly not understanding about a distributor upgrade? Id like to dip a toe into the 21st century and take advantage of modern mechanics but i suddenly feel like my grandma when the modern home computer came into use!

[sargentrs]

The #1 plug wire location is entirely relative to the TDC location of the #1 piston on the compression stroke. Pull the #1 plug, put your finger over the hole and rotate the engone till you feel the pressure push your finger off. Stop immediately and rotate your crank to TDC. You rotor is now pointing to the #1 plug location on the cap. Fine tune your timing from there.

[DuckRyder]

If I recall correctly number one is the front on the passenger side and the rotor basically points at the vacuums advance can which the connector on should be more or less pointing straight forward.

Hopefully you made sure the rotor on the old distributor was pointed toward number 1 and the balancer was at TDC before you pulled the old distributor. If you did not then we have some work to do because you don’t know if it is TDC#1 compression or exhaust.

[72bumbee]

Excellent job in helping me understand... I actually have a picture of the old distributor and location of the old rotor. so I'm assuming I could just drop the new one in that position with the vacuum can in the front?
also, this distributor came with an O-Ring and a larger tapered rubber O-Ring ..... now i can see where the tapered seal/ O-ring goes but the smaller one has me stumped! Do you think the two of them go together in some weird double seal? There is absolutely NO mention of this in the instructions. Also no actual pictures of this thing put together...just crude and elementary drawings. Almost every description of this $429.00 piece of art touts how easy peezey lemon squeezy this thing is.
Might i cause more damage to my truck if i don't do this stuff right?
Would I save myself some heartache by towing the whole works to my mechanic and have him do it?

[DuckRyder]

The seals don’t go in a weird double configuration. I sort of suspect that every distributor box gets the same bag of seals where possible.

Put the seal in the corresponding location to the old dizzy.

Make sure you did not drop the oil pump drive shaft.

As long as you have not moved the engine, you can drop the new distributor in with the rotor in the same orientation as the old one was. Note the gear teeth are angled so is you’ll need to account for this when starting the initial drop in. If you get it too far off you won’t be able to set the timing due to the advance hitting things.

As for number one on the cap, most caps are tabbed so they will only fit one way, so that may help you verify that number one is in fact number one.

The only thing I don’t like about the RTR is that there isn’t a cap for it that will use conventional wires, it takes HEI type wires.

[72bumbee]

that was my next question.... can i just use my old wires or should I get a new set for some reason?

[72bumbee]

here it is

[DuckRyder]

Does the old cap have towers (like the new one) or sockets (like a stock cap)?

[72bumbee]

the old one has sockets

[DuckRyder]

Then you will have to get new wires. This is why I returned the RTR that I had, I wanted it to look more stock.

I don’t have any recommendations for you for wires, but you need “HEI Style” cap connections.

[72bumbee]

Okay, thanks again!
I wish this thing would have come with better instructions

[DuckRyder]

No worries...

I expect we will need to help you tune it once you have it running.

[72bumbee]

I'm forever grateful for all the help i find here....
I'm going to call it a day today and start fresh in the morning. We can pick this up after I get it installed.
Thanks again and again my friends!

[72bumbee]

I’m now waiting for my $104.00 HEI style plug wires...
I’ll post a new thread when I’m ready to roll on this
Thanks again!