Cannot get timing set or plug wires right

So, we are going with the distributor has been taken out!

Remove the distributor cap,
Tie/ hang it well out of the way.

Crank the engine.
Does the rotor turn?
Does it turn "smoothly" or is it jumpy/ erratic?
No cranky for now, can you (without breaking stuff) force the rotor to turn or move on the distributor shaft (like the pin might be sheared for the gear on the bottom of the shaft?)

I have found that using the starter for the "bumping" usually results in "overrunning" the marks.
Then you mistakenly rotate on around 180 degrees from where you should be (not saying bad things, but if you are new to this, it is an easy mistake!).

So let's do it like this instead!

Let's find TDC in slow motion!

Hide your keys/chock your wheels/ go to neutral.

Remove number one spark plug.

Stick it back in, maybe two threads (some people shove there thumb in the empty hole).

Rotate the engine with a wrench or ratchet. (See my 1st pic, my 6 cylinder Jeep CJ-5)
Rotate in the direction it normally turns.

When you hear the "hiss" coming by number one plug stop! (A friend may be helpful to hear this at number one (as the other cylinders hiss internally (usually fainter) when you rotate the engine.

Now, we are on compression stroke (coming up)!

We are not up yet!

Ever so slowly rotate the engine in the normal direction it turns until your timing mark (line) lines up with zero. (See my 2nd Jeep Pic, white mark corresponds with "0").

Stop!

We should be at Top Dead Center (TDC) with the engine. Now to check (or remove)/ install the distributor correctly.

Okay, back to our slow-motion.

Now look at the rotor button,
it should be facing the "mark" you put on the distributor For textbook,
or which ever tower you chose to be number one (textbook or not).

You will see in my 3rd pic, "textbook #1 position" marked on my cap and distributor's base.

The 4th pic is your "textbook" setup.

The rotor should point toward # 1 without moving the engine.

Otherwise you must remove the distributor and set it down to where there rotor is pointing at #1!

Just to give you all of the information. Do not give up and do it this way!

The engine/cam/crank don't care which one #1 is.
As long as you were at TDC, you placed number one spark plug wire on "that tower" (the one that rotor is pointing to, whichever it is).
And your firing order starts there- and runs the sequence. It will "work".

Installing it "textbook" cuts down on confusion later on, as you may have forgotten the "deal"- simply hooking it all up like it shows in the book will make it easier in eight months. (But you have to install it textbook now)

Continuing to diagnose without the valve train being in time (mechanically) is going to have us chasing our tails forever until we come back to this point. (In other words, we have to have the timing gears and chain in right for this to work out!

If you are confident it is right, Dump two teaspoons of gas down the carburetor, then attempt a start.
"exactly" what does it do or does not do?
Lets do keep in mind and we are talking not really common, but does happen (as things do to me) Yes, you could have jumped timing (or previous guy installed it all wrong), the harmonic balancer could have slipped (I have post discussing that too). Which would put your timing mark in the wrong position to the crankshaft.
But let's stay on the assumption that this is your fix!

If not, at least this part is right and we will attack other possibilities that are messing things up!

Keep us posted on exactly what is going on!

The Medic

I'm guessing that the rotor did not move while cranking?

Got to keep these simple carbureted vehicles running.

Already now and in the future no one will understand that you can tune a car up for less than $100.00 and do it at home!

We're here if you need us, or you can send your pals to us.

The Medic