There are three or four different companies that make a fiber gasket that goes under the dizzy for a buck. And there are plastic spacers for clearance issues that go under the dizzy also.

In the future, if you like where your timing is set, always put a felt pen mark on the dizzy base and manifold for reference timing mark.

But for now you must be off a tooth. Double check where the rotor is and where the harmonic balancer mark is. It helps to have someone crank while you rotate the dizzy to get it to fire. Then get your timing light on it.

 

 

Looking at your pics, the #1 plug wire is over the little metal door on the distributor. This is about 2 wire positions off from where a 'normal' distributor is lined up. But that doesn't really matter as long as the following stuff is right -> That is where the rotor should be pointing when the timing mark is lined up on the balancer AND the motor is on the compression stroke for Cylinder #1. Easy way to figure out compression deal ->Pull the number 1 spark plug, put your finger over the plug hole in the head and see if air is being pushed out when the timing mark is coming up on the balancer. Turn the motor by hand(!) when doing this. When all this is done, the motor should be close to being timed correctly.

Good luck.

 

 

Lars has a great paper on this.

Ask for a copy at V8fastcars@msn.com

 

That's correct - just e-mail me for my paper on distributor installation.
Lars

 

 

Just sent out technical info from 6 e-mail requests received.

Lars

 

May I offer a recent experience I had with my '68 427/390hp points distributor:

I went through this last winter too.
I forgot to mark the distributor housing and manifold relationship before pulling.
I replaced the tach cable and reinstalled the dist.
It backfired something fierce out the carb.
I had to start from scratch.
A little back ground:
First, the distributor housing has to be clocked in the proper position.
When they went to a cable driven tach dist they realized they had the drive gear
orientation off. Hence early cable failures.
GM put out a service bulletin to their dealers mid 1968 regarding
re-clocking the dist housing. Alan has referenced this in another thread.
Hence, the firing order remains the same but the plug wires at the cap were moved counter clockwise to the next position.
So in order to get the dist shielding on correctly later, the vac advance can should be pointed at the passenger front fender or the 2:00 position if seated inside the car.
This allows turning room for the dist as the shielding bracket limits travel if not set right
and not to mention an ugly bend on the tach cable.
After this is oriented you need to align the rotor towards the number 1 cylinder.
This is the first plug on the driver side just under the alternator or 11:00 position again if seated inside the vehicle.
The vehicle's engine must be brought up to TDC in cylinder #1 before dropping the distributor back in. Take a glance at the timing scale and pointer on the lower balancer.
They need to be lined or your 180* off. If need be white grease pencil or white out works fine to mark reference points. You'll need this later on for timing.
If these are lined up, finesse the distributor into the block until the bladed end drops into the respective slot internally. This slot can be turned with a wide flat blade screw driver to keep the dist oriented properly.
It's a feel thing it will drop in with patience.
Tighten the hold down bolt down just enough to prevent movement on restart but loose enough to turn by hand with a little effort.
Reinstall plug #1 and wire.
Important before reinstalling the dist cap..... make sure wire to plug #1 is over the rotor
while aligned with cylinder #1.
Set the cap in place to orient the rotor and appropriate tower. If need be place a white dot on the side of this tower to maintain proper orientation.
Now get out the manual and check firing order and verify each plug wire is oriented correctly in its firing order. The Intake manifold should have the cylinder numbers cast above each cylinder.
Check to be sure each plug wire is routed to the correct plug. 1 off and it runs rough.
Fasten the cap down.
Attempt to start. It should at least run at this juncture.
Plug the vac advance can line on dist and time as required per Lars paper.
Check for recent version as fuels have changed for the worse and timing is no longer
all in cruise at 52-54* anymore unless your running hi octane fuels. Pumps are supporting 34* with 10-12* advance added from vac advance.
Anything else leads to pre detonation or the death rattle.
It sounds like there's marbles bouncing around in the valve train.
Not good to leave in this condition, timing needs to be retarded.
I know I threw a lot at you but not sure how familiar you were with the procedure.
It was previously explained to me that's how I learned.
Please let us know how you make out.
Definitely email Lars as directed in above post.
Read his timing papers several times as it sinks in a little better each time you re read it.
Marshal

 

There is a gasket between block and dizzy. Your photo shows a manifold bolt is missing at rear of intake manifold. Did you install one as this will cause more oil leak than dizzy gasket.

 

that is the hole for the bracket that holds the ignition shield in place. Oil will come out of that hole?

 

Just put some pipe thread dope on the bolt. Just a touch on the threads.

 

Buy a gasket, # 70194 Felpro. It keeps water and dust out of the engine, as well as oil vapor in.
Slip it one the dizzy before you install it. You can use a dab of Gasgacinch to glue it to the bottom of the dizzy.

 

 

 

Yes

 

Negative