Distributor gear slot not lining up EXACTLY centerline

Ok.. I've put a new stock cam into a '70 440, and when I drop the distributor drive gear in place, the slot doesn't run "exactly" centerline with the cam/crank.

The slot in the gear is supposed to be parallel to the cam/crank... right ?

The timing chain is lined up right on the money, and I've double checked it as well.

Anyway, the slot is slightly tilted up, or down with which ever way the gear is mated up to the cam.

QUESTION: Will this matter a great deal, and can the distributor be rotated in the timing to make up for the slight mis-alignment ? And, Is there a better way of the slot being tilted that would be better, if that's the case ?

I'm sure I'm not the first to run across this issue, so any advise will be greatly appreciated

Sometimes you can turn the cam a bit to get the gear to align better.Its nor a big deal if not perfect.You can usually turn the dist enough to make up for it.Rocky

Does not matter...put engine on #1 tdc firing...and line the rotor and #1 on the distributor cap...

you can have the slot facing the moon...as long as #1 on the cap and rotor line up...

and as long as the distributor cam be moved back n forth to adjust the timing...sometimes the vacuum canister gets in the way.

Won't matter assuming you have the #1 piston at TDC on the compression stroke. Now, drop in the distributor making sure the rotor is pointing to the #1 plug wire tower and you'll be in the ball park.

Really wouldn't matter where that intermediate shaft were installed as long as the distributor rotor is pointing to the #1 plug wire.

The actual answer is NO, it's not supposed to line up. Take a look in the FSM and there will be a picture. The other guys are also right...

Thank you guys so much for the quick replies

get the dampener at ~20 BTDC #1 compression. With a 1&1/4" socket/breaker bar hand turn the crank clockwise a bit more till the slit is at your desired initial timing which might be 10 for a mild cam or 15 for a wild(er) cam. I'd suggest clocking the wires on the cap placing #1 in the OE location (helps prevent future mistakes) then clock the intergear ANYWHERE it needs to be so that with the vac can in its' correct general location (with room to be turned either way) then turn the housing slightly till the magnet is dead even with the tooth that places the rotor under or near under the #1 cap terminal & note that the vac adv will shift the rotor (rotor phasing) clockwise from that position (on a BB) when vacuum is applied to the can. putting the intergear slot parallel would be a good start then go from there but it can end up anywhere & some dizzys have vastly different bottom tang to top rotor clocking & what's important is the final rotor position.

The oil pump will mess with you on this. If the hex is off a few degrees either direction, the oil pump drive/distributor drive will not slide down into the exact position and be a tooth off either way.
I've had to pull the oil pump drive out and twist the oil pump a few degrees with the priming tool to get the distributor slot to line up.

Will someone please show a drawing or photo that shows the correct (factory( location of the vacuum advance when the distributor is correctly installed. Thanks!

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Will someone please show a drawing or photo that shows the correct (factory( location of the vacuum advance when the distributor is correctly installed. Thanks!

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The vacumm can should point towards the opposite back at about the 12 O'clock position. You can google mopar engines and look at pictures as well.