Dumb question about spark plug leads

Unknown
Unknown
edited November -1 in HUDSON
This is , I know , a dumb question but I'm at the stage of not being able to see the wood for the trees here! I'm trying to get my 1939 Hudson 112 to start , I've got a good spark , fuel going where it should etc. but she doesn't want to go. Every so often when I'm cranking her there is a little "bang" and some nice sooty deposits fly out of the exhaust.



I had to replace the condensor on her and the distributor was removed (not by me) and although it was marked before it was taken out it wasn't done terribly well. So I'm thinking that I might have a timing problem here which I'll dig into. My dumb question however is I do I know which is number one spark plug hole on the distributor cap? I know the spark sequence is 1,5,3,6,2,4 and when I trace the leads from the engine to the cap it would appear that they are in the relative correct positions but how do I know what number one spark lead is sitting in it's right position in the cap?



Dumq question I know but I haven't been able to find anything that tells me definitively that number 1 lead goes here in the cap.



Hope someone can point a poor confused brit in the right direction!



Thanks,



Paul

Comments

  • dwardo99
    dwardo99 Expert Adviser
    Turn the engine until #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke. You can tell it's on compression by putting your thumb over the spark plug hole to feel when it's compressing. I'm not familiar with pre-stepdowns but stepdowns have a timing mark on the flywheel to locate TDC and I assume older ones do as well. Once the engine is properly positioned, just look at there the distributor rotor is pointing and that is the hole in the cap where #1 wire goes in. If you think the distributor is way off, you can use a test light to see when the points open. The engine should be very near TDC when they open.
  • [Deleted User]
    [Deleted User]
    Paul, also determine your rotation of the dist,then place your wires in the firing order,useing the front cyl of course as #1 thru 6 front to back
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Clean the points with a point file and try starting your 39 again.



    Fred
  • Unknown
    Unknown
    Hi Guys,



    Thanks for all your suggestions - I'll be out there this weekend having a play!
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