Sticking a distributor in can be annoying the first couple of times and then it's no big deal once you know what you're looking at.
I'm generally too lazy to pull the plug and feel for TDC, so I generally just go off of the timing marks on the balancer. 0* on the balancer will either be TDC or 180* off on the distributor. Rotate the motor around to 0* on your timing mark and drop the distributor in with the rotor pointing to the part of the cap that you've got your #1 wire on. I will start the hold down bolt, but don't tighten it. Slap the timing light on, fire it up with the spout disconnected, and if it will crank and run, you've got it right, just adjust it until you're at that 10-14* mark. If it won't fire up, and instead is backfiring through the intake, then you'll need to pull it up, spin that rotor 180* and restick and go.
I'm generally too lazy to pull the plug and feel for TDC, so I generally just go off of the timing marks on the balancer. 0* on the balancer will either be TDC or 180* off on the distributor. Rotate the motor around to 0* on your timing mark and drop the distributor in with the rotor pointing to the part of the cap that you've got your #1 wire on. I will start the hold down bolt, but don't tighten it. Slap the timing light on, fire it up with the spout disconnected, and if it will crank and run, you've got it right, just adjust it until you're at that 10-14* mark. If it won't fire up, and instead is backfiring through the intake, then you'll need to pull it up, spin that rotor 180* and restick and go.
