Thread: dropping in a new distributor

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i have all my 454 put together except for the distributor and i am having a hard time getting it in and just to make sure what process do you use to line them up right when you have a new manifold,cam,distributor. thanks

might have to rotate the oil pump with a screwdriver to get it to drop in, remember, the gears go at an angle so it will turn a little as you drop it in

I put the engine at #1 top dead center, then drop in the distributor so the rotor lines up with #1 plug wire. If it doesn't drop all the way in, I just bump the engine with the starter (or by turning the crank with a wrench) until it drops in. Then, I bring it back around to #1 TDC. Saves trying to align the slot in the oil pump. I never could get that screwdriver process to work very well.

The bump works because the distributor engages the cam gear before the oil pump. You don't lose distributor alignment by bumping the engine - you just align with the oil pump.

got it just had to push down as i turned the engine over. thanks!