When I go to install my new distributor and manage to screw it up, as I am prone to do, and stick on 180 degrees out of phase with the cam...when i start it up am I gonna do some damage or will it just not fire?

 

What car do you have? I know on the 96-00 Civic models, they purposely designed the distributor and the corresponding grooves on the camshaft so it couldn't be installed 180º off.

 

It could backfire out of the intake and you could do some damage to the throttlebody, just depends. Usually the heads are hardened enough for it not to do any damage to them but, again, it depends.

 

ive done it before when installing a new motor into my car, nothing happened it just wouldnt start obviously.

 

nothing, most dizzy's only go in one way, the two tabs are usually offset from the center so they can only go in one way

 

If you can get it on (6th gens aren't symmetric for that reason), it won't start, you'll know real quickly. Just watch the position of the shaft upon removal and insert the same way. If you really want to be sure about it, put a screwdriver in the #1 spark plug hole and turn engine to TDC, then you'll know which way to point the rotor.

 

Thank you everybody