Originally Posted by treerootCO
The rotor has to turn when you set the dizzy. If you want the rotor to be at a 12:00 position, you have to start with it a little 11:00. I might have that backwards but you can feel it.
Yeah, I understand about the rotation that occurs as the gears mesh. It should be fresh in my mind, but IIRC if the ending alignment is 12:00, the dizzy should start out pointed to 1:00. The distributor shaft rotates CCW as the gears mesh.
I understand what you are saying about feeling it. When stabbing a dizzy into the old motor I can feel when the distributor shaft gear starts to mesh with the camshaft gear and watch to rotor rotate as the gears mesh. There is a distinct "popping into to place" that occurs when end of the distributor shaft enters the oil pump.
Thing is when stabbing a dizzy into the new motor, the feel is not there - as soon as the gears start to mesh because it is very stiff/hard to continue to push the distributor down.