Sure thing. Finding TDC on number 1 cylinder is easy. Once you've got the concept dialed, it takes longer to write about it than to do it.
We'll assume for now that you're putting it back in from scratch, but the aforementioned marking of the distributor can be a big help. If you'd rather, you can take a digital image of how it's set up before you remove it, so you can remember how the vacuum advance can was oriented in the engine and where the rotor should be pointing towards the #1 cylinder. There's often a "1" molded into the distributor cap.
For putting it back together, remove the numbers 1 and 3 spark plugs. If you don't know already, those are the first and third plugs from the front on the passenger side.
If you're going to be changing the plugs for a tune-up anyway, just take them all out. It makes the next step much easier.
You'll be rotating the crankshaft clockwise by hand. A socket on the end of the crank bolt is pretty straightforward, but awkward if your mechanical fan is still attached. A real knuckle-scraper that! A helper turning the ratchet from underneath is a big help, but one person can do it.
I think it's a 15/16" socket, but can't really remember for sure.
Put one finger over the #1 spark plug hole to seal it up. As you rotate the engine, watch for the timing marks to start coming up towards the pointer. What you're looking for is for compressed air to try to force itself past your finger. If no pressure builds as the numbered markings count down to zero, turn the crank one full turn more. The numbers come up twice for every full "cycle" of a 4-stroke engine.
When you feel the pressure build, continue turning the crank and damper until the number zero mark lines up with the pointer. Now your engine is set at the number 1 cylinder's "Top Dead Center" of it's compression stroke.
When you've achieved TDC, insert the distributor with the rotor pointing as close to where the number one spark plug wire attaches to the distributor cap as you can. You might have to rotate it slightly to get it's gear to mesh with the drive gear down inside.
Very often, it won't go down that last 1/2" to seat on to the block. Don't worry, and don't force it. It's just the oil pump driveshaft not quite aligning with the hex-shaped female end of the distributor shaft.
There are two ways to do this. Either turn the pump shaft a bit at a time until it does align, or just turn the engine a little more until you feel it line up, then push the distributor in the rest of the way. I usually prefer the latter, since the distributor is already mostly installed, and you probably still have a wrench on the crank bolt. Pretty easy to just move it a bit more one way or the other.
Once it's dropped in the whole way, line the zero back up to the timing pointer and do whatever else you need to do, knowing that your engine is at TDC and you can do everything from there.
The good thing about doing it this way too, is that for an extra couple of minutes of work, you can verify the type of an unknown cam, so you will know without any doubt what ignition firing order you have to use. If you know all this already, and your engine ran fine before the work was done, then there's no need for this extra step. But if you're working on an unknown or new-to-you engine (or you yanked all the plug wires without taking that pic I was talking about!), this info can be invaluable and keep you from pulling your hair out.
Since Ford used two different firing orders on these engines over the years, a cam or engine swap by a PO could lead to lots of confusion.
Add to that the multiple possible combinations of timing pointer and damper markings available, and things can really get out of hand quick!
To verify firing order, start to rotate the engine again (still clockwise) while holding your finger over the #3 plug hole. If air pushes against your finger within the first 1/4 turn of the crank, then you have a 351 or late-model 5.0 cam installed in the engine, so will need to orient your plug wires on the distributor in the 13726548 order.
Hope that helped. Like I said, takes longer to write/read it than it does to do it.
Good luck on the gaskets.
You might be tempted to just do the intake while leaving the distributor installed, but I think it would always be easier to do with it out. Especially when you go to lay it back down without dislodging any gaskets.
The intake bolt torque value and tightening sequence are critical. Read the book, or ask someone here what that is. I don't remember, but always look in a book when I'm doing one.
The other thing that was mentioned by lonesouth, Rox Crusher and Ehumaui is the cork or rubber end-gaskets. I've used them with no trouble, but I would say that 90% of people no longer use them and instead lay a thick (at least 1/4" tall) bead of slicone sealer along the front and rear edges. Let it tack up for a few minutes, then lay the manifold down carefully into position. Let it cure for a few hours, and away you go!
See? Easy-peasy.
Paul
