Question About Zero Deck/Distributor Install
Racer
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 256
Likes: 0
From: Norfolk VA
The distributor will now be all the way into the block, but the rotor will not be properly aligned. You can now pull the distributor up until the cam gear disengages, turn the rotor JUST A HAIR (half a cam tooth), and drop it straight back down again. The rotor will now move one tooth over, and the chamfer on the oil pump shaft will allow the oil pump to line back up. The distributor will drop all the way back in again, with the rotor moved over one tooth. (If it doesn’t work, try rotating the rotor the opposite direction.) Repeat this operation (I call it “walking the distributor”) by lifting the distributor up, slightly moving the rotor, and dropping it back in until you’ve “walked” the rotor around to its correct position as shown in the figure below. Once you get the technique down, you can do this very quickly – much quicker than trying to align the oil pump driveshaft with a screwdriver while looking down the hole. The screwdriver technique also requires that you pull the distributor ALL THE WAY OUT to fiddle around with the screwdriver several times until you get it right. So try my “walking” technique: it’s quick and accurate.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2003
Posts: 2,362
Likes: 1
From: San Antonio TX
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,370
Likes: 6,364
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
You can install the distributor in any position with the rotor pointing any way - it doesn't make any difference in terms of operation. Yes, you can simply re-position the plug wires and orient the distributor to fire as it should. There is no such thing as being "one tooth off" - it's only a matter of installed orientation which is a cosmetic issue only - the engine can be correctly timed no matter how the distributor is installed within the limitations of the vacuum advance hitting other engine components. However, most Vette enthusiasts prefer having the distributor installed "correctly" in the block and having the plug wires in the normally recognized sequence - it's a matter of pride to "do it right."
