How to install distributor in 312

Pull right side rocker cover, rotate engine clockwise, looking at damper from front of engine ( same way damper bolt tightens ) until you see intake valve open and start to close. Continue rotating until timing mark comes up to TDC mark at front of engine. If you already have your plug wires in the proper firing order on your cap, mark on your distributor housing where #1 plug wire is. Make sure you can see mark when installing distributor. Rotate rotor until its pointing above mark you made and put distributor in. You may have to jiggle the rotor back and forth a little to index with the oil pump drive quill. Also make sure your vacuum advance unit on the distributor has enough room to move forward and back a little to let you set timing. After its in, you will be close to or at 0 deg TDC static timing. Tighten the hold down bolt enough to hold the distributor in but allow you to turn it with some effort. You should be ready to start. You may have to advance the timing a little as you start, but with everything right, you should be good to go.
Regards, John
 
Sweetdreams has it down to get the distributor in. If you can turn themotor back to TDC after the dizzy is in the hole all the way down, turn it to 10 to 14 degrees advance on the damper. Turn the radio off in the shop so its really quiet. Turn on the ignition, then pushing on the vacuum advance, turn the dizzy back toward the firewall about an inch. Slowly pull it toward the front of the car, and listen for the points to open and make a spark that can be heard. Stop. Tighten it down and the timming will be withing one degree.
 
I never pull the valve cover to find if the engine is coming up on compression. Instead, I have always pulled number one spark plug. I then put my thumb over the spark plug hole and I crank it over until I can feel the compression coming up against my thumb. At that point I look at the timing marks and time from there. Also I have had problems on some y blocks with their distributors not falling down over their oil pump drive rods. Once you have the rotor timed to the correct cam gear tooth, I have cranked the engine over and the distributor has always slipped right down over the oil pump drive rod. Crank the engine over to get the rotor back to number one firing position again and time from there as usual.
 
SS, agree. I thought it best to have Flyman definitely verify Cyl 1 TDC with the valve action because it sounds like he's starting from square one.
 
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