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replacing hei distributor is doing my head in... doesn't matter where I put the oil pump engagement, it seems the best I can get is about 10 degrees either side of the original distributor rotor position!
2 question.. 1) can I just leave it 10 degree out and adjust the timing away when I put it back together?
If not 1) has anyone got any sneaky tricks to help in this situation?
Assuming the distributor base is not all the way down and touching the intake manifold....Long screwdriver is advised. Rotate the oil pump driveshaft just a few degrees to get it to line up with the bottom of the distributor shaft as distributor drops in. That is what is holding it up. Rotor will rotate as it drops in the rest of the way.
Alternately, you can rotate crank around back and forth to rotate the rest of the rotating assembly to line up with the distributor shaft but that is a more strenuous way to do it.
If the distributor actually drops all the way down to touch the intake manifold and you still cant the rotor where you need it, the distributor gear might be installed 180 degrees off. Check to see if the dimple on the gear on the bottom of the distributor is on the same side as the rotor tip.
My "guess" is that the drive gear on those two distributors could be installed 180* out from each other. That's no big deal, but there are an odd number of teeth on the gear so one distributor would be about 10 degrees off from the other when installed. If you can hook it up OK with that difference, so be it. If there is some interference problem, you could 'clock' the new dizzy or you could remove the drive gear, turn it 180* and reinstall it. (IF that turns out to be the problem.)
You have to compensate for the helical twist of the distributor drive gear......which means you have to turn it a little more counter clockwise than what you think you need so it catches as the rotor turns clockwise as you are stabbing the unit.
Just reset the motor to TDC on the compression stroke (Cylinder #1), and seat the distributor. Mark the distributor cap base to wherever the rotor is pointing--that is now the location of your #1 plug wire tower...install plug wires in correct firing order, start the motor, and adjust timing with a light...
Dizzy replacement
