I dropped my distributor in, it doesnt feel right, it goes in far too easily, and feels wobbley, I didnt put the dist. hold down on yet but it still feels funny. Also Whats #1 on an HEI Distributor? Is it the 2nd over counter clockwise from the wire terminal?

It can actually be any place on the cap as long as the firing order of the wires is right.

Cool. I didnt know that. Well I know the order so im good to go. What about this feeling wobbley, shouldnt it be really tight fit?

Also, the #1 wire has to be in the direction where they rotor is pointing when the 1 cylinder is at or near TDC Compression Stroke.

If the rotor is pointing straight foward when the 1 cylinder is at TDC, then you can't put the #1 wire on the opposite side of the distributor.

Once you've found the right spot for the #1, wherever that may be, THEN the rest of them just go in order from there.


You can put it anywhere, but not just anywhere, if that make sense. Has to make sense with the the function of the rest of the motor.

Yeah that makes sence, anywhere but not everywhere it will work. Assembling spark wires is a slightly agrivating task smile.gif I got the right crimper and some good spray lube, I feel like my hands arent working right tonight.

So with the distributor, is it supposed to turn this freely? I thought its gear road against the cam? And the oil pump push rod is really wobbley, I think thats what is making the dist wobbley. I used an ARP steel oil pump pushrod, the one without the little plastic sleeves. It just feels funny to me.

did you forget the oil pump drive shaft? if you left it out it would drop right in and feel wrong.

Oil pump drive shaft is what I meant, not oil pump pushrod, sorry. No it's in there but it isnt tight. I used my drill to turn it and it pumps oil fine, but it being tight... no.

Without the hold down being tight the distributor will turn freely.

I think im just being paranoid. Thanks for all the help guys, I'll pre-measure all my wires more than once before I cut em' and make sure #1 is in a good/correct place.

Make SURE you look down into the distributor hole to CHECK for the oil pump intermediate shaft. My brother was sure, according to him, that he shaft was in there when we put my old 305 in his Nova. The 305 ran for a few hundred miles and quit suddenly. You guessed it, no intermediate shaft. Completely busted engine.

"Intermediate shaft" is the same thing as drive shaft right? So many terms smile.gif If we are talking about the rod that connects between the dist. and oil pump, the little rod, yeah its there. I was just in the engine the other night prepping it with my special little drill bit. That would SUCK to forget that, he didnt have an oil guage?

Did you put the little round gasket on?

The plastic sleeve that comes with the pump? It didnt fit, the ARP shaft I bought had a steel one on it.

I think he means the dist. gasket ;) .

OH! ha, no i didnt put that on, because i was taking the dist. back out for a couple small things. I closed up shop tonight, im not functioning well smile.gif

Phil, when you drop it in if you can't turn thr rotor then you are engaged with the cam and oil pump, as long as the distributor is down flush with the manifold. If you want #1 to be to in a certain spot like a conventional chevy, get it on TDC compression stroke and move the oil pump rod with a screwdriver until the slot is a little counterclockwise from the direction of the cap post you want to use for #1 wire. As you drop the distributor in the rotor will rotate a little while going down and should end up where you want it.