Ok, I fired my new 355 engine today and last year I opted to go to an HEI ignition with tach drive and get rid of the old points/condenser stuff. so I set the engine to TDC and put in the HEI with #1 post pointed towards #1 cylinder and she fired right up. then i noticed the Tach drive is pointing directly to the rear towards the firewall, I slowly moved the distibuter forwards (clockwise) to bring the tach drive facing the drivers side and the engine wont run there?
anyone have any thought as to my next step to get my tach working agian, obviously I wont be able to plug my tach drive in if it not pointing towards the drivers side (cable).
im stumped?

 

The tach drive connection on the distributor on my 68 does not point to the driver’s side and I’m able to connect the cable to it with no problem. It points more or less towards the left side of the wiper motor. The cable has enough flex to connect in that position and yours should too. Since you don’t have a stock distributor and I do a picture of the problem you’re having might help someone see what’s wrong and provide a solution.

I meant to say driver’s side of the wiper motor not left side.

 

Put the distributor where tach cable works. Then decide where you want #1 to be and set rotor there at #1 tdc. Pointed toward #2 works well but is not set in stone. Look where #1 wire is now. Take it out of distributor. Turn dist till cable works. Move wires around til #1is back in the same place. Make sure firing order stays the same. And get a light and time it. Self it too advanced, it will run great and possibly burn pistons.

 

I replace my HEI dist. with a tach-drive dist. also, but the tach cable would was kinked against the firewall and failed within a month.

(Basically what Derek said, but I used lots of extra words....LOL)

I loosened the dist. lock-down and rotated the dist. clockwise until the new tach drive cable was clear of any obstructions, then snugged the dist. lockdown.

I removed the distributor cap and the #1 spark plug.....placed a finger over the sprk plug hole and had a friend bump the starter until I felt compression blow my finger away from the spark plug hole (be sure it is compression and NOT exhaust pressure).

I looked at the mark on the harmonic balance and had my friend bump the starter a little more until the "0"/TDC mark was at the timing pointer on the timing cover.

I looked at where the rotor was pointing and rotated the dist. just enough for the rotor to point at the closest terminal inside the dist. cap.....then I moved the #1 spark plug wire to that location on the distributor cap.....then I moved all the other spark plug wires on the dist cap in their correct firing order.

I clamped down the dist. cap......reinstalled the #1 spark plug and attached the wire...….reset the timing to 12* BTDC with a timing light and tightened the dist lockdown bolt.....started the engine to make sure everything was working properly.

 

Yeah i will try that method makes sense, I know on a ford set up you can just move wires over as needed always thought you could not do it on HEI for some reason. I also found a 90 deg tach drive adapter for around $50-65 depending on the vendor if i want to go that route.

 

I have read pros and cons about the 90* adapter.....wait for other members to give advice.

 

.....best answer. Put the dist. where the tach cable works, and wire it accordingly. That's what GM did. No adapters needed.

 

This sounds similar to the OEM problem:


The issues of the tach drive angle and advance can clearing the shield support were critical enough that they made the Service News as the 68 cars were being produced. It affected both 327 and 350 cubic inch engines. Note the change affected only Corvette engines.