As you are looking at the top of the distributor, is the first contact to the right of the vacume advance the spot for the #1 cylinder wire? I did not map it out when I took engine apart.

should be at the 10 oclock position when the vacuum advance is facing at about the 7 oclock position.

IF it's installed properly, and that's a big "if", then #1 is where the tiny notch is on the rim of the distributor body.

The Cap'n

Well the vacume is at 9 oclock, so I guess I can assume that it is not correct. I have the v shaped notch in the fan at the top in the window. Is this a good starting point to get started?

a very professional picture, i got permission from porsche ag

Only if the #1 is at top dead center and not 180 off.

I put my engine back in today and had the same question

............Well , consider all the good advise here....and consider this.....With the engine at top dead center (TDC) on number ONE (1) cylinder.....the ROTOR button will be pointed to the nose of the crankshaft at the front of the engine...and the "notch" on the distributor, and the Rotor button will also be lined up .....However all this is dependant on weather the distributor drive has been installed correctly........AND when assembling an engine, with a degree wheel on the front of the crankshaft,....you can rotate the distributor ROTOR,(and with voltmeter hooked up)....you can determine how much ignition ADVANCE your particular distributor has.

The engine was running when I got it out of a donor car. The distributor was never taken out. I just could not remember which plug wire went where. I found a picture in one of the other threads and found I was 1 spot off from where each wire went. I changed them all to where they should go.

This thread may or may not confuse the issue:
http://www.914club.com/bbs2/index.php?showtopic=209425

scroll to the last post to see a pic of how it SHOULD be.

bottom line: if you find TDC for cyl 1 on the power stroke (via any method you like), whatever plug tower the rotor is pointing at is for the #1 wire.

If your dizzy gearing is installed as the factory intended, at TDC for #1, the rotor will be pointing at the scribe on the dizzy body (cap must be removed to see the scribe).

good luck!

That is how I have it now. I believe that is the way it was when I took the cap off a few months ago. Thanks for the pic! It makes me that much more confident that it is right.

if your car runs with the wires in that position then you are home.

If not -- find TDC and that's your #1 wire. Wire up your dizzy based on that and it should fire right up.

As that thread indicates, my wires are all 1 off cw, but the engine runs just fine this way.

As soon as I get a battery installed and the collumn put together again I will know. Thanks again!