Classic/Antique Car Repair: 1984 Hurst/Olds, 1984 hurst olds, vin code

Question

307 Firing Order   Hi there,
I have a 1984 Hurst/Olds with the original 307 Oldsmobile V8 Vin code 9 high output version making 180hp. On Saturday I decided to change the valve cover gaskets as they were leaking badly. The car was running fine before I did this. After re-installing the valve covers, I fired the car up and noticed that cylinder 1 was backfiring out the exhaust (when I removed the ignition wire from 1 the backfire stopped).  My first thought was that I mixed up one of the ignition wires, so I turned the car off and re-did the ignition wires according the diagram I attached to this message and the one in my Hanes Manual. The car failed to start at all after this. I then bought new wires and redid it them again, tried to start the car, got an ear blowing back fire out the driver side exhaust pipe, and that was it. The car was flooded.  I let the car sit over night. I tried again, and only got black smoke coming from the exhaust as I tried to start it. I figure my plugs are fouled now from the flooding. The engine was rebuilt, to factory spec a few years ago, is it possible the previous owner may have put a different distributor in, still an HEI, but messing up the firing order some how? I followed the diagram exactly when installing the new wires, could my problem be fouled plugs now?  Could the timing screw up the firing order on the distributor making it off from the diagram?  I figure the black smoke coming from the exhaust when I'm trying to start it means I'm getting a spark, as well as the backfiring right?  I'm trying to narrow the problem down. Any suggestions would be great! This is very frustrating!!! Thank you in advance!!
Jordan

Answer
Well it sure sounds like the case of the mixed up firing order. Now using a diagram to install the plug wires works really well provided the guy that had the distributor out the last time dropped it back in the same way that the factory installed it in 1984. What I would suggest is that you first find the top dead center firing stroke of number one cylinder. The way that I do this is to disable the ignition system by disconnecting the primary wire from the coil. Then remove number one spark plug. Hold your thumb over the hole and bump the engine over (you will need a second person for this) till you feel compression. Stop cranking. Then look at the timing mark and it should be close. You can turn the engine with a wrench on the front pulley to line up the mark. Pull the cap and the rotor will be pointing to where the number one plug wire should be. Then wire the engine. Note. Bumping the engine with the starter means just quick turns of the key so that the engine only turns very little with each click. It sound right now like the distributor is 180 degrees out.
Good luck, Brad