Thread: Do I need sealant on an SBC Distributor Gasket?

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OK - this seemed really wierd. When I tried putting the distributor back on, the gears lined up fine and everything was right on the marks I left. When I took it off to put the gasket on, it would only line up in a different place than I had marked (or 180 degrees in the other direction) - that being just a little to far clockwise.

When I looked down in the hole, I could see the piece sticking up with the slot (looked like it was made for a standard screwdriver head) running from left to right. After putting the shaft in again a few time, I noticed that the slot have rotated clockwise. After putting the distro shaft in a few more times, it had moved again. After doing it enough, the rotor now points to the right marks I originally made, but I am afraid that something inside has turned 180 degrees now and it will be all wrong.

Anyone know what is going on? It seems to be in the right place, but I don't want to start it until I know it is OK. I am sure the engine could not have turned from just putting the distro shaft in so many times, but something doesn't seem right.

Thanks, Denny. But why did the slotted part down in the engine rotate? The distributor would only seat properly when the slot was lined up - but the point at which it lined up kept rotating clockwise. If I had the teeth lined up to fall on the marks correctly, it would not seat all the way down flush.

The point where it would seat all the way down kept changing, and that has me wondering...

That slotted part down the dist. hole is the oil pump drive. Because the dist. gear is helical cut, it turns the pump a bit when you pull it out. Put the dist. back in the same way as you took it out, allowing for it to turn as it goes down. If the pump drive doesn't line up, "bump" the starter and it will drop in.

Originally Posted by R Pope

That slotted part down the dist. hole is the oil pump drive. Because the dist. gear is helical cut, it turns the pump a bit when you pull it out. Put the dist. back in the same way as you took it out, allowing for it to turn as it goes down. If the pump drive doesn't line up, "bump" the starter and it will drop in.

Thanks for the help, too, R-