67 SB distributor alignment issue

[Al R.]

I worked again another 4 + hours trying to get the rotor to point at the #1 location on the distributor cap so I could properly orient the distributor between the intake runner & the coil on my 67 327-300HP. Once again, the best I can do is 1 tooth off either way. The gear at the bottom of the distributor is properly positioned. You can set the timing ok by pushing the can against the intake runner, but, now I'm wondering if it is possible the engine builder could have gotten the cam gear a tooth off from the crank gear. If this is possible, what problems could it present? Valve hitting pistons? One other thing, I did have the harmonic balancer re-done, but it appears to be correct as the marks I put on it before shipping it out are still aligned and also, the timing mark on the outer ring aligns with the keyway on the hub. Ant thoughts or suggestions are appreciated!!! Al

[Edward J.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Al, I think some of the camshaft manufacters may not index as the factory cams, on my 63 to get it to index correctly I took the dist. gear of and spun it 180 Degrees from the dimple mark. and this got the Dist. back to its correct position. This has been posted before.

[Al R.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Thanks Edward, I will do that next week when I get a chance again. Al

[Ralph E.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Al you need to describe exactly how YOU installed the distributor to allow us to help.
Without knowing exactly how you removed the distributor and how you are trying to installed you may get conflicting feed back.
For example it may be as simple as the oil sump rotated slightly which usually happens when you pull the distributor. Simply rotate it a little so that the key way will align with the distributor and the distributor will fall into place exactly where you want it.

[Brian M.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

I had to do the same.

Al, I think some of the camshaft manufacters may not index as the factory cams, on my 63 to get it to index correctly I took the dist. gear of and spun it 180 Degrees from the dimple mark. and this got the Dist. back to its correct position. This has been posted before.

[Al R.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Ralph, the pump rod has been moved everywhere to try the alignment. I've used a big screwdriver to rotate it and just picked up the distributor enough to clear the back of the cam drive gear and let it drop back in thereby rotating the pump shaft and the distributor a little at a time all to no avail and bumped the starter when the distributor was slightly out of the back of the intake so that the engine would drop it in (this when the rotor was close to the #1 location). Nothing has worked so far, so I'll give the distributor gear rotation a try and see how that works out. Al

[Ralph E.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Al, can you bring cylinder #1 to TDC. Be sure it is #1 NOT #6 cylinder. If you can do this by hand with out cranking started it will be more accurate. Once set at #1 TDC drop distributor into place with the rotor pointing towards the passenger side of the rear of the carburetor. You may need to rotate the pump shaft.
I assume you had this distributor in the car before and it was align properly.

[Gene M.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Al,
Each tooth on the distributor and camshaft gear will index the distributor position 27 plus degrees. There are 13 teeth on both gears. So I suggest maybe the cam is an aftermarket copy of the original and the gear is not cut in the original GM cam gear orientation relative to the profiles. Try putting the distributor gear 180 degrees out of position in relation to the rotor and see if when installed it is any better.

[Bill H.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Al, can you bring cylinder #1 to TDC. Be sure it is #1 NOT #6 cylinder. If you can do this by hand with out cranking started it will be more accurate. Once set at #1 TDC drop distributor into place with the rotor pointing towards the passenger side of the rear of the carburetor. You may need to rotate the pump shaft.
I assume you had this distributor in the car before and it was align properly.

Yep, Ralph. This is where Al should start. You can pull the valve cover and watch #1 intake valve while you are hand cranking. When it just gets to totally closed, you are close to TDC. I use a soda straw thru the plug hole to feel when the piston stops moving. then check to see if the mark on the balancer is in line with the mark on the timing cover. This will also tell you if the balancer mark has moved (it happens at times).

[Al R.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Ralph and Bill, I've been there and done just that a couple times-doesn't make any difference-it will not align that way. I'm gonna try Gene and Edward's suggestion a try when I return home later this week and see if that does it. Ralph, the only other time the distributor was put in was probably at the GM plant. It was a 1 owner and appeared to have never been removed or worked on other than contact points, cap, capacitor, 3 plug wires, and rotor. It has to be in the front cam gear or the gear on the cam itself. Al

[Timothy B.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Al,

Move the distributor one tooth clockwise and try to time the engine at 6*BTDC. Closer to the coil bracket is where the V/A needs to be and that helps line the tach cable up better. The V/A should end up within 1/8" to the coil bracket at 6* timing.

[Al R.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Tim, I did that too, but it was jammed up tight against the coil bracket.

[Michael W.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

You're not 'a tooth off', you're 'half a tooth off'.

Swap the drive gear 180* as recommended above.

[Al R.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

Michael, will be doing so as soon as I return home. Al

[Scott M.]

Re: 67 SB distributor alignment issue

I had to swap the gear 180 degrees on my 327/350 with a Sealed Power cam, otherwise the vacuum advance was hitting the coil bracket.