Hemi Distributor drive orientation of slot?

[AR67GTX]

Tried to get my engine started today after months of replacing the wiring harness, the electronic distributor with a dual point and the also heater coil under the dash - which led to all sorts of mission creep. The starting effort was a comedy of errors which I managed to get mostly straightened out. The biggie was that the distributor drive was not aligned with the slot front to back for the electronic distributor. This left my rotor pointing off clockwise of #1 terminal with the dual point in and no 1 terminal on the cap just CW of the clip per standard practice. So pulled the drive out with no 1 at TDC and set the slot parallel to the car centerline, again per standard practice as I understand. Closer - actually got it to run - barely - for 10 - 15 seconds, but not well. Problem is my vacuum canister is against the fuel lines and can’t rotate clockwise enough to get the timing to where it needs to be. So, looks like I will need to rotate the distributor drive gear one more tooth CCW so I can rotate the distributor more CW and still have my vacuum advance in the proper place.

Anyone else with a Hemi run into this and have to deviate from the standard practice of aligning the drive slot parallel to the car centerline to get clearance for the distributor vacuum can? I guess I could move the wires on the cap one terminal around but would rather do it right.

 

[Beekeeper]

I ran into the exact same thing when I fired mine up for the first time. I ended up with the slot in the drive nearly parallel with the front of the engine to allow enough room to advance or retard the timing.

 

[gtx6970]

I have had to do exactly that over the years to get the vacuum advance to align inside the dual fuel lines like I wanted

 

[AR67GTX]

Well, mine will be a little CCW (by one tooth) instead of straight front to rear, I to get clearance. Wonder why? Oh well - what ever works.

 

[Beekeeper]

Well, mine will be a little CCW (by one tooth) instead of straight front to rear, I to get clearance. Wonder why? Oh well - what ever works.

That’s exactly what I said I would have been the only one to know my drive gear wasn’t lined up by the book until I let the cat out of the bag on this thread

 

[AR67GTX]

Thanks, makes me feel a little more confident pulling the distributor one more time will get this thing squared away.

 

[33 IMP]

Tach drive distributor. You index the drive so that the tach drive, or vacuum advance can, or whatever, is where YOU need it to be . I don't give a fig whether it's in the "stock" position or not.

 

[Fran Blacker]

Did the same.

 

[WileERobby]

Tach drive distributor. You index the drive so that the tach drive, or vacuum advance can, or whatever, is where YOU need it to be . I don't give a fig whether it's in the "stock" position or not.

Of course ! It's not that hard, people !

 

[AR67GTX]

Had to back it around two teeth (about 100 degrees) to get room to time it. Slot aligned front to rear is not even close.

 

[MoparLeo]

From the Service Manual...

 

[Beekeeper]

Had to back it around two teeth (about 100 degrees) to get room to time it. Slot aligned front to rear is not even close.

that’s exactly what I had to do the slot is closer to being parallel to the front of the engine.

 

[33 IMP]

that’s exactly what I had to do the slot is closer to being parallel to the front of the engine.

Yeah, so? It's just fine, no biggie, no one (but us) will ever know!
Edit: I just put a mark where #1 goes on the distributor cap, and an arrow for rotation. You might not want to do that on a restored car.
(and I think you mean perpendicular)

 

[Dragon Slayer]

Chances are your distributor does not have the original shaft. The tips are clocked different on some versions of the prestolite RB shafts. Normal is to parallel gear slot with the cam as mentioned above. If proper distributor, then #1 plug after the bottom cap strap. So that most likely is the reason for your issue.