Distributor gear alignment question

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WSUTARD

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When I rotated the block my distributor gear fell out. I think I have it alighted right but not sure. I'm at TDC right now and I have the key slot pointing toward #1. Is there anyway to tell if I have this correct? It seems to align itself in many ways.

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Looks like you're there. It is supposed to be pointing towards the drivers side front cylinder.
 
It looks like it is pointed at the standard angle. Now, the distributor cap, rotor, and spark wire position have to be right....

Note that with the timing mark aligned to 0 on the crank damper, either #1 or #6 can be at TDC ready for firing. So your distributor cap and rotor arrangement will be one way or the other. You can tell if #1 is at TDC firing position by looking at the lifters; both #6 lifters will be slightly raised. If both #1 lifters will be slightly raised, then #6 is at TDC ready to fire.

If you are unsure which pair of lifters are slightly raised, rotate the engine through the 0 mark, and watch for which pair is moving: #1 or #6.
 
nm9stheham said:
It looks like it is pointed at the standard angle. Now, the distributor cap, rotor, and spark wire position have to be right....

Note that with the timing mark aligned to 0 on the crank damper, either #1 or #6 can be at TDC ready for firing. So your distributor cap and rotor arrangement will be one way or the other. You can tell if #1 is at TDC firing position by looking at the lifters; both #6 lifters will be slightly raised. If both #1 lifters will be slightly raised, then #6 is at TDC ready to fire.

If you are unsure which pair of lifters are slightly raised, rotate the engine through the 0 mark, and watch for which pair is moving: #1 or #6.
Click to expand...

#1 were moving. So that means #6 was firing and my gear was pointed wrong?

I'm guessing I can rotate the crank till #1 comes to TDC again, which would mean it's firing then adjust the distributor gear.
 
And done. #6 was lifting, distributor gear is pointing at #1. #1 is firing so I would align my distributor to point at #1 when I put it back on.

Correct?
 
WSUTARD said:
When I rotated the block my distributor gear fell out. I think I have it alighted right but not sure. I'm at TDC right now and I have the key slot pointing toward #1. Is there anyway to tell if I have this correct? It seems to align itself in many ways.
Click to expand...
 
It doesn't really matter how it is oriented. All that matters is that the rotor points to #1 when #1 is at TDC firing.
 
That slot theoretically doesn't matter. Like 69340gts said the crucial thing is that the rotor points at whichever plug hole u pick for number 1 on cap.

When you rotated the crank from #6 firing to #1 firing, the slot rotated 180* so really no difference in slot BUT you are now at #1 tdc firing.
 
IIRC, the slot is supposed to point at front left intake manifold bolt, #1 @ TDC, for LA engines, points or electronic dist.

Hall effect dist. for Magnums are different.
 
69_340_GTS said:
It doesn't really matter how it is oriented. All that matters is that the rotor points to #1 when #1 is at TDC firing.
Click to expand...
What I would suggest is: turn dampener till you are at 15 BTDC #1 compression. clock intergear so the rotor is pointing forward and slightly to the pass side. turn dist so the magnet is dead even with the tooth & the can is as we know on the pass side with room to be turned either way. plug the #1 plug wire into the cap terminal above the rotor which is facing forward and slightly to the pass side. this maintains the OE standardization (which helps prevent future mistakes) & lets the plug wires nestle the neatest with the shortest lengths possible. The rotor should be even with the cap terminal or a bit (1/2 its length) CW from it as rotor phasing shifts it CCW on a SB. regarding rotor phasing, cap terminals are .214" wide and rotor terminals are .244" wide and a 11 deg can for instance shifts the rotor (phasing) .270". keep the terminals sharp with a dremel and can fab a new rotor blade (drill out the rivet & make a new brass tang) so there is .015 clearance from rotor tip to cap terminal(s).
 
It certainly does matter where the slot is oriented. It matters so that the distributor will fall in the right place and have enough room for the vacuum advance can to move without hitting anything. The factory service manual details the installation, so it surely does matter.

Also, it appears you may have it off by one tooth. I THINK it might need to rotate ONE tooth clockwise. Technically. the slot is supposed to point to the first intake manifold bolt hole on the driver's side cylinder head. That's what the manual says. Yours appears to be pointing a tad counter clockwise of that, although it is hard to tell.

Yes, technically, you CAN point that slot any direction you want and it will run fine, but, there is only one totally correct way. That is the way I prefer and I would not advise anyone to do it otherwise. JMHO.
 
it's ok. I'm glad there is a technical editor monitoring the threads, and weighing in on a thread with so many divergent responses.
 
RustyRatRod said:
It certainly does matter where the slot is oriented. It matters so that the distributor will fall in the right place and have enough room for the vacuum advance can to move without hitting anything
Click to expand...

I guess everything has to be spelled out to the Nth degree these days. I was not suggesting he put the thing back in 97° off or anything like that...
 
RustyRatRod said:
It certainly does matter where the slot is oriented. It matters so that the distributor will fall in the right place and have enough room for the vacuum advance can to move without hitting anything. The factory service manual details the installation, so it surely does matter.

Also, it appears you may have it off by one tooth. I THINK it might need to rotate ONE tooth clockwise. Technically. the slot is supposed to point to the first intake manifold bolt hole on the driver's side cylinder head. That's what the manual says. Yours appears to be pointing a tad counter clockwise of that, although it is hard to tell.

Yes, technically, you CAN point that slot any direction you want and it will run fine, but, there is only one totally correct way. That is the way I prefer and I would not advise anyone to do it otherwise. JMHO.
Click to expand...



That is assuming the drive is clocked the same on a factory distributor as an aftermarket one. I just line the rotor up with number 1 and see where the drive is pointing and line the gear up.

I have several distributors in the shop, and a couple of them are OE and the drives don't line up the same.
 
yellow rose said:
That is assuming the drive is clocked the same on a factory distributor as an aftermarket one. I just line the rotor up with number 1 and see where the drive is pointing and line the gear up.

I have several distributors in the shop, and a couple of them are OE and the drives don't line up the same.
Click to expand...
MSD, for one, apparently does not orient them in any way at all. Every one I've ever seen is different.
 
yellow rose said:
That is assuming the drive is clocked the same on a factory distributor as an aftermarket one. I just line the rotor up with number 1 and see where the drive is pointing and line the gear up.

I have several distributors in the shop, and a couple of them are OE and the drives don't line up the same.
Click to expand...

Right, assuming the phasing is correct.
 
69_340_GTS said:
MSD, for one, apparently does not orient them in any way at all. Every one I've ever seen is different.
Click to expand...

Yeah and look at any Chevy distributor. They are all phased the same as factory. Why Chrysler distributors cannot be is anyone's guess.
 
If you put the distributor gear in wrong you can stick a screwdriver in the slot and (correct me if I'm wrong) unscrew the gear from the cam gear. It will climb the cam gear and drop back in the next tooth. Not there yet, jump it a tooth or two. Gone too far? Jump a tooth at a time till you are right where you need to be. (almost a full turn)
 
I just bought a new mopar performance conversion kit and the distributor shaft is not set the same as my old m/p distributor. Paid a lot for it, and I don't like that.
 
I dunno, could it have anything to do with the late Magnum motors having a different phasing procedure, and Chrysler doing away with timing marks on timing covers?
 
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