Thanks. I thought about the possibility of a 180-degree error in
installing the cap, but there is a single notch on the cap and a
corresponging tab on the base, facing the engine, so that doesn't seem
possible. The little vent on the top of the new cap is 180-degrees
from where the old one was, but in the instructions it says quite
plainly that this doesn't mean anything.

I think that perhaps the marking for Cylinder 1 must be wrong on the
new cap. The old one had no marking at all. It was covered with dust
so I figured there must be a marking under it somewhere. But I brought
it in & cleaned it up - nope.

Thanks for the hint about lubing under the rotor.

     Robert

--- In [EMAIL PROTECTED], "denisond3d3" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:

>     On the big block mopar engines the distributor drive can be
> inserted into the block two ways - one of them being 180 degrees out.
>  This means that when the rotor should be pointing at the terminal for
> cylinder #1, it would be pointing instead to the opposite side of the
> cap.  That may be the case you find yourself in, if the small block
> distributor drives also have symetrical keying.   
>    Not a problem though; if you turn the crankshaft so the timing slot
> on the front pulley damper is opposite the zero dent on the timing
> marks, then the rotor in the distributor would be pointing either to
> the terminal in the cap for cylinder #1, Or the terminal for the
> cylinder halfway around the firing order - # 6. There isnt any easy
> way to tell, but you have a 50% chance of getting the spark plug wires
> on it correctly on the first try.  If the distributor was put in with
> the shaft 180 degrees out, the spark plug wires just have to go back
> on the cap swapped 180 degrees around from where they usually go.    
>    Is it is also possible the distributor got twisted a few degrees
> while you were working on it? 
>    As far as I know the mopars with the distributor at the back of the
> engine all turn clockwise, and the 440s turn counter-clockwise.   Its
> easy to tell this. Just crank the engine briefly with the distributor
> cap removed.  
>    While you are at it, put a drop on oil onto the felt wick in the
> middle of the distributor shaft, under the rotor.  This lubricates the
> centrifugal advance mechanism.  People forget to lube this important
> spot.  A drop each 10k or 20k miles.




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