Hello. I recently replaced my worn out 1970 point style distributor to an HEI type distributor. The swap was easy just like the direction said. The car ran great and I noticed the improvement in my gas mileage and acceleration performance. Everything was working well until I took the HEI distributor out to install a 90 degree tach drive cable adapter. This way I had more room to to install the adapter and ensure a proper fit. I marked part of the distributor housing and also marked part of the intake manifold for alignment reference. What I did not do was remember where the distributor rotor was pointing. So when I was ready to drop the distributor down, it would not align with the oil pump slot. I used a long screw driver and tried to align the oil pump with the distributor slot. I finally got the distributor in, but it would not start and backfired. I must have did something wrong during the installation. So I proceeded to take the #1 spark plug out and raised the piston TDC and aligned the marks on the harmonic balancer to zero degree. I called a buddy of mine and he suggested that I take the driver side valve cover and hand turn the motor until both valves on the #1 cylinder are close. So I did this and tried starting it but got the same result;engine back fires as I'm starting it. Is it possible am 180 degrees out? I am no expert technician, but there is always someone out there that knows how. I am always open to your suggestions. Thank you.

 

Sounds like you were almost there.....
So, rotating the balancer to zero degrees puts the #1 cylinder at top dead center. This happens twice during the 4 stroke cycle, so you need to make sure you are at top dead center on the Compression stroke. This is why your friend had you pull the valve cover to make sure both rocker arms looked like they were NOT pressing on either the intake or exhaust valve. With hydraulic lifters, it may be hard to tell so rotate the engine 1 full turn and see if the rocker arms press down on the valves. If you see this, then rotate again to zero until the valves look even.

When you are at this point, make note where your #1 plug wire terminal is on the distributor cap. Do this with a piece of tape or something that will remain when you remove the cap. With the cap removed, look and see where the rotor is pointing. If the rotor is 180 degrees off, then pull the distributor, rotate the shaft and stick it back in. It the rotor is pointing somewhere else, study it for a moment, pull the distributor, rotate the oil pump drive shaft the same degrees that the rotor was 'off' and re-install the distributor where the rotor is pointing at or just ahead of the #1 terminal reference point.

Go for it. Get someone to crank it while you have the distributor clamp tight but can still be turned by hand. I normally make sure I'm wearing rubber shoes, gloves and aren't leaning against or near anything that can be considered "ground" for the vehicle. When it starts, go through your normal timing procedures and your home free.

Good luck!

 

Just some advise - make sure you keep that 90 degree connector lubricated - it's easy to forget it's there. I had one, and ended up with a stripped tach gear. When I took the 90 degree adapter out, it SEEMED OK, but I never did grease it after I put it on and I wasn't sure why the tach gear / shaft stripped. I no longer use the 90 anyway because I now have my distributor set per the "Service Bulletin" that has the cable port pointing toward the cable. Everything is great now!

 

I did what bronze76 said and found that my rotor was pointing at 180 degrees at TDC. Once I determined this, I pulled the distributor, placed the rotor to line up with the #1 spark plug on the cap and down she went. It was that easy. One turn of the key and she fired right up. Thanks for all the help.