So I just replaced my spark plug wires, and really want to know how they came from stock, they just look messy. also were can I get the coil to cap wire?

I think it looks cluttered because those are the brightest blue I have ever seen

You can really clean them up with spark plug cable clips:


As far as the coil, your kit didn't come with a cable for the coil?

The way your distributor is turned will make it difficult to get them like the picture IMSA posted. Usually the flat part where the ICM plugs are is at about 45 degrees from the rear of the car instead of almost straight across as yours is. If car runs fine as is, it is hardly worth pulling the distributor to rotate it but it will make it a unique layout.

Perhaps tuck the coil wire back between the 4 & 6 oclock wires, rotate the 8oclock outbard of the 10 oclock post and then the 10 oclock inboard. Sure that is clear as mud but trying to help

Here's an engine from an 85 with maybe a few hundred miles on it, pretty much the same as above



Another, similar mileage, in an 86 GT

[This message has been edited by RWDPLZ (edited 05-28-2011).]

quote Originally posted by AlanD: The way your distributor is turned will make it difficult to get them like the picture IMSA posted. Usually the flat part where the ICM plugs are is at about 45 degrees from the rear of the car instead of almost straight across as yours is. If car runs fine as is, it is hardly worth pulling the distributor to rotate it but it will make it a unique layout. Perhaps tuck the coil wire back between the 4 & 6 oclock wires, rotate the 8oclock outbard of the 10 oclock post and then the 10 oclock inboard. Sure that is clear as mud but trying to help

Yeah. It's amazing it runs like that. It looks like your distributor is about two cylinders off. However if it runs like that the way your wires are routed is probably better than the other, neater arrangements as far as running well and lasting. Because current can jump through the insulation as it breaks down from oil, heat, and time wires that are all over the place but not touching, or even running alongside other wires are better. Where wires come close to touching they should be at right angles. The wires should also avoid metal parts of the engine and other components.

I ran wires under the left side of the plenum, instead of over. I even ran one left left of the plenum, under the snorkel, but I ended up having to tie it to the metal vacuum pipe to keep it off the heat shield.

It's hard to believe you didn't get a coil wire with the rest of the kit, but you can get individual wires online or more than likely at your local parts store.

What brand are those wires? Are they eight mm? It's nice that you were able to use the metal heat shields for the plug ends. I got 8.8 mm Accel wires that are too big to use the shields I so carefully saved and cleaned.

[QUOTE]Originally posted by 85 SE VIN 9:


Yeah. It's amazing it runs like that. It looks like your distributor is about two cylinders off.

So how would I fix that? my timing is correct I just set it. And it runs fine just rough. Also where can I get the wire clips? And finally they are Taylor Spiro Pro 8mm wires.

Would I be correct in assuming you didn't put the distributor that way? Look at your coil compared to the others. It's backwards. Somebody apparently had to put it that way in order to have the distributor turned that far. There is a thing that happens where the part of the harmonic balancer that includes the timing mark moves relative to the crankshaft. I think phonedawgz has a picture that shows what that would look like. If you can check for top dead center on the number one cylinder and confirm that at that point the timing mark lines up with the zero on on the little scale that would also rule out that problem. In that case maybe you should just try turning the distributor which likely means turning the coil around as well. It looks like your distributor should be turned clockwise one cylinder so that the wire that goes to the number one cylinder is where the wire to the number two cylinder is now. Unfortunately if it was that easy it probably wouldn't be running now. If it won't run in that position it could be the distributor was rebuilt wrong. In that case you could take it out and rebuild it so that the rotor lines up with the number one cylinder when that cylinder is at top dead center. There are utube videos on the process. It's also in the Haynes manual. It might be that the gear on the bottom of the distributor was put on wrong. You could mark how it was and try turning it 180 degrees. It seems likely that a previous owner ran into a problem and the way it is now was the only way they could get it running. Something is probably wrong. The problem is - until you find what's wrong and correct it changing things might make it not run at all.

I wish I had got those wires instead of the Accel. I asked a guy at Summit Racing to recommend wires and he recommended Taylor wires.

You can buy the clips at any auto parts store. They should be in the "dress up" area for engines.

Here is my 86 still with the stock wires in the car. What I used was tie wraps to clean them up a bit. Here is a look


Fun with Tie straps. The was shown to me by a guy at the show. this is what you can do


Here it is up close of how to do them. It will clean up the engine compartment and looks better then having wires all over

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looking at the pictures (over and over) it appears that you are 180* off....I had a dist cap like that a while ago, and I had to throw it away. Could it be that your rotor is on backwards?.....possible I suppose. If you can flip the rotor, than you should be able to flip all the wires too.....but don't get lost halfway through the process!!

Edit to add....I am curious about that throttle body too. What is that?

[This message has been edited by Gall757 (edited 05-29-2011).]

IanT720, from a mechanical point of view there is nothing wrong with the picture of your distributor setup. There is no absolute right or wrong single position for the distributor. Basically put the number one cylinder at TDC and drop in the distributor and where the rotor points to becomes the post where you plug in your number one spark plug wire. However, sometimes there are things that may dictate the general orientation of the distributor, length of spark plug wires, vacuum advance ports (not our cars), distributor cap hold down clips (not our cars), and for our V6 cars the short pigtail wiring that runs between the ignition module and coil. As AlanD mentioned the flat part of the dist cap is at approx 45 degrees. That way the wiring will easily reach the ignition coil, in your case the ignition coil has been flipped around for the wiring to reach the ignition module. If your engine runs correctly and #1 not #4 is firing at BTC there is no mechanical reason to play with your setup. If you want change it back to more factory look then search and read up on all the threads on distributor replacement. I don't have the links handy but I remember Jetman posted a great writeup with good pics.

Fiero Thomas - thanks for sharing the tip on using zip ties. Never thought of using them!

[This message has been edited by speed1 (edited 05-29-2011).]

thanks, I bought it this way. The timing was off quite a bit and now it runs better. I'm pretty sure that it runs right (need a second opinion). So having everything flipped wouldn't really matter? and I believe that is the normal Holley throttle body. Oh I noticed there are 2 plugs that plug into the cap And they would not reach if I turned it 180*.

IanT720 - the distributor body and cap can be in any position as long as when the number one piston is at TDC of compression stroke the rotor makes contact with the post that is connected to the number one spark plug. Clear as mud? Most of the pics I have seen posted here show the flat side of the distributor cap pointed in the general direction of the cruise control soleniod, yours it pointed directly at the ignition coil. There is no problem with this if your are sure that the timing ( see above TDC and #1 etc,etc) is correct. Why fix it if it ain't broke? If you wanted it to move it for asthetics it would not be flipped 180 but about 45 degees clockwise. Functionally it does not matter, but you will get alot of strange looks and have to explain it is actually wired correctly and why it still runs. LOL!

You do have the stock throttle body but in stock form it is unpainted (or painted silver) and not painted black.

[This message has been edited by speed1 (edited 05-30-2011).]

and checking for tdc I have read a couple of ways like putting a screwdriver in the spark plug hole is tat a good way? and as far as rotating the crankshaft just attach a socket and ratchet to it?

There are many methods and tools available, piston stops, whistles, etc. I would not recommend a screwdriver unless you know what you are doing, something hard like that could do some damage if it got jammed up in there. Use a plastic straw or plastic rod, once you know what you are doing you can grab something hard like a screwdriver. I've been turning wrenches for over 30 years and still use a whistle indicator or a straw.

Large rachet on the big crank shaft bolt works fine, don't know the socket size offhand.

[This message has been edited by speed1 (edited 05-30-2011).]

I would just bump the starter or run the engine enough times until the timing mark happens to line up with the 0 degree mark. Then you could just take the distributor cap off to check the rotor position and take the number one spark plug out to see if that piston is at the top. If it's running and you timed it odds are the answer to both is yes. The others are more than likely right that this is pretty much a cosmetic issue. The distributor itself is not 180 degrees off, but maybe the gear is. Even if the harmonic balancer is off it's still a cosmetic issue as long as it stays in the same position.

quote Originally posted by IanT720: Where is that pic from phonedawgs?

Are you looking for this one?

quote Originally posted by phonedawgz: Align the keyway with the #1 cylinder so the keyway is pointing at the #1 cylinder and the pointer should be at 0 deg tdc. Pic to follow

Unfortunately the picture is no longer on the server. I'll keep looking.

My harmonic balancer is not loose and when I timed it, it was a constant line (it didn't jump). Thanks guys I think I will just leave it as is, suppose I should check TDC first. Too bad its so hot out