No, we are pretty sure these are correct. The cap was clearly labeled 1 through 4.
Ok, an update. We found top dead center and confirmed by height of piston 1 through the spark plug hole. Then we pulled the dist cap shaft out and lined it up the best we could visually - enough for the 30 degree swing, in the middle as much as we could. Put the plug and wire back on and tried to start and slid the cap back and forth slightly every few cranks trying to locate the timing at least enough to get it started.
Still wouldn’t start. We got a little burnt fuel smell and some fuel/air mixture coming from the carb but no ignition.
We’re going to try dumping the gas and putting in new - the gas in could be old.
Are you getting a strong spark? If not, the pickup coil - ignition control module - inside the distributor may be bad.
Yup - very good spark.
Going to try new gas next.
Unbelievable…The engine has several timing marks. The first one, TDC mark on the front damper/pulley. The engine must be set at TDC. Then, with the valve cover off, on the cam drive gear, there is also a TDC mark that must line up (read your service manual “setting cam timing”). Once you are certain the cam is properly timed, the distributer can be installed so the rotor is pointing to the #1 contact in the cap when the cap is put in place. The engine should now at least start. Then set the ignition timing with a strobe light.
ANY decent shop manual will take you step by step through this procedure, complete with pictures of the timing marks and their correct locations…
The EGR plumbing is at the rear of the head, I believe. Check that all is in order there. The 22r heads had a port at the rear and the gaskets were very year specific I believe.
Thanks again to ya’ll.
For those of you who guessed timing, you were right. We got it started and let it idle until it got to operating temp. Unfortunately it looks like we didn’t fix it as it still idles in an enormous cloud of steam like a fog machine at a lazer light show. Either it’s the flatness issue coming back to bite us, or the gasket was installed wrong.
Either way, this is a sandbox car and this has been a great learning experience.