Bubba needs help with 1980 Distributor
Thread Starter
Pro
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 530
Likes: 11
From: Lewes, Delaware
Bubba needs help with 1980 Distributor
Gentlemen. I removed my distributor some time ago and marked the spots on the distributor where the number 1 was, where the rotor was before it came out, and where the rotor was when it came out. My pickup coil was bad so I had a mechanic put a new one in. Now I line up the distributor at the number one spot (Marked on the intake manifold), line up the rotor where it originally came out, slide the distributor in and the rotor doesnt quite line up with the mark before I pulled it out. Looks to be about 5 to 8 degrees off. It doesnt want to exactly line up. What gives. I have never messed with distributors before. Could the installation of the pickup coil thrown it off? Any help would be appreciated. Thanks 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,322
Likes: 1
From: Living in the Hartland
The oil pump shaft moved slightly, you can get a long screw driver and try to move the pump shaft so it mates with the dist and the dist drops in just right or you can just move the dist back 1 tooth, unhook the coil and crank the eng over a little, the dist will mate up the shaft and drop down. The dist rotor will usually be off about 15 deg when sitting on the shaft but not fully mated and dropped. I used to mate the shaft and dist but read a few guys just let them mate on their own, just way I like it. 
If you let them mate on their own just turn the eng over to tdc and see if the rotor points at #1.
If you let them mate on their own just turn the eng over to tdc and see if the rotor points at #1.
