I set my engine to TDC on the compression stroke. I stabbed the distributor with the rotor pointing at the number one cylinder. Hit the bump starter holding the distributor down and it won't go in all the way. I don't know what else to do.

Any suggestions are welcome.

EDIT:
The engine is a solid roller 406
Intake has not been removed recently
The new distributor is the same model as the old distributor MSD 8361
I no longer have the old distributor
The gear on the new distributor has not been removed, so it is not upside down
This is my cam https://www.compcams.com/xtreme-ener...all-block.html
This is my distributor https://www.summitracing.com/int/par...illocation=int

 

If the distributor will not drop down on the oil pump shaft while hitting the starter and pushing the distributor down, you have the distributor gear on upside-down.

 

Use a bright flashlight to see the slot inside the oil pump drive so you can point it where th lower end of the distributor will slide into it.

 

edit: If the distributor gear was installed upside down it was done at the factory because I didn't install it myself.

 

I have never in my life heard of "the factory" installing the distributor gear upside-down. If you took the factory-installed gear and flipped it, it is most likely now installed upside-down.

 

You're confused. What I meant was that I installed the distributor the way it was purchased. I did not remove and reinstall the gear.

 

I have never in my life ever heard of someone installing a distributor gear upside-down. If this is what we get from a "Tech Advisor" here, I'll go back to the Facebook C3 group.

 

Well, it's entirely possible to do; there's nothing that will prevent it from happening, so you have to make sure you know the proper orientation, take photos on the disassembly, or consult a schematic. I will trust Lars in that it won't mesh as I never got that far into reinstalling in the block without realizing my mistake. Perhaps less snideness on something you may have little experience in.

 

Good grief. People install them upside down all the time. If you've never seen it, you haven't been around Chevy's very much, and you're not that "bad." Good luck with Facebook.

L-
Just got your e-mail. Will tag you back.

 

What engine are you working on. The 327 350hp is different.

 

Any Gen 1 small block or Mark IV big block distributor will drop right into any other Gen 1 small block. 327/350 has no special distributor requirements.

 

Well, if you look it up you will find that the distributor doesn't point to the #1 cylinder when at top dead center. If the distributor was removed it wont go back in pointing at #1. Trust me,,,,, I went through this trying to reinstall my distributor. It will be pointing at #4

 

Yes, this was done because the tach drive cable hit the firewall and caused bends to be too severe. Not sure why '69 is unique in not requiring this... It was no longer an issue for '75 and after because the tachs became electronic rather than mechanical. It will point to #1 cylinder if you reinstall the plug wires one tower counterclockwise but if you don't do that, it won't.

 

Nonsense. The two diagrams you have posted above are for 2 different distributors, and have been taken from inaccurate manuals such as Chilton's or Hayes - those are not GM shop manual diagrams. The one on the left is for HEI - not points. The distributor will go in perfectly to the #1 position in any Gen 1 engine - it will rotate and move over to the next location in the firing order if you do not account for the helical angle of the gear, but that's an installation technique problem - the engines are absolutely not different. I build 327/350 engines all the time. What you're saying is factually incorrect: The distributor will always point to the #1 plug tower when the engine is at TDC on the compression stroke - the engine will not otherwise run.

GM did issue a Service Bulletin to re-clock the distributor housing on the tach-drive distributors to avoid kinking the tach drive cable on all C3 Corvettes with points distributors, but it did not change the relative position of the #1 plug tower.

Correct distributor installation for all Chevy engines with points distributors. No difference for 327/350 or any other Chevy engine:

Service Bulletin for re-clocking of Corvette tach drive distributors to avoid kinking tach cable. The Bulletin ended up being applied to ALL Corvette tach drive distributors in all engine combinations, including 350 and 427. This particular version of the Bulletin just lists the 327, because it was printed in 1967. This was applied to all tach drive engines from 1968 through 1974:

 

Lars doesn't look things up. We look up Lars (when we need ignition and carb help).

 

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This is a clocking orientation for HEI vs Points distributors in any Chevrolet powered V8 car.
#1 can be put anywhere in the eight positions possible, likewise, #1 can stay in its position and the distributor can be turned around in a damn circle if you desire.
The only reason #1 is where it is at is because it is favorable for wire sets.....#1 was “moved” on the cap in Corvettes because of the tach drive.

Jebby

 

Yep,, exactly what I was saying. If you have one of these early 327's and try to install the distributor pointing at the #1, it wont work.

 

Sure it will....just clock the wires on the cap until the tach Drive is lined up.....
The 66’ in the Avatar was a 327/350 and it was clocked #1 facing #1 cylinder.....it doesn’t matter....it is not about the position of the distributor OR the wires.....it is about the phase.

Jebby

 

I was just trying to make my engine run. I followed the little pictures in the factory assembly manual and it seemed to work.