[Terry,OH]

The center terminal is carbon it touches the rotor and conducts the high voltage, from the coil to the rotor. To assist getting the plug wires all the way into the cap terminals add a very small amount of dielectric grease to a cotton swab and rub it in the cap, spark plug wire terminals. Check all nine of the plug wire terminals for conductivity about O. Ohms for the plugs. From the plug end of the spark plug wire to the inside of the distributor cap. Do this just before installing the cap to the distributor.