# Distributor Re-Install is "Off"? **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Created:** [January 3, 2019, 2:58am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883 "2019-01-03T02:58:16Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![It\_s-Me](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/it_s-me/32/12660_2.png) [@It\_s-Me](https://community.cartalk.com/u/It_s-Me)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2019, 1:42pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/21 "2019-01-05T13:42:50Z")
Are they setting the timing with the vacuum advance hooked up? and if they disconnected it would it drop back to 16 ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2019, 2:12pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/22 "2019-01-05T14:12:38Z")
well, if the OP says the timing was right before the work than i would consider that bit of info ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2019, 11:19pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/23 "2019-01-05T23:19:55Z")
> [@Honda\_Blackbird](#): > > lets say you have the firing order correct on the cap…but you labelled the number 1 cylinder location one unit off… The cap would have the correct order…but every wire is one place off. You would need to rotate the cap almost exactly the amount they are doing in this instance… Good point. I think that would be equivalent to the plugs being wired to the cap correctly, but triggering the timing light on the wrong plug. ---
**Author:** ![Honda-Blackbird](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/honda-blackbird/32/3159_2.png) [@Honda-Blackbird](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Honda-Blackbird)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2019, 6:41am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/24 "2019-01-06T06:41:03Z")
Yes, indeed Sir… ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 7, 2019, 12:43am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/25 "2019-01-07T00:43:29Z")
> [@PvtPublic](#): > > Chevy didn’t make a 330. I was over to Safeway the other day and they have that magazine so I re-read the article while waiting in the check-out line. The engine is a Chevy 355, not a 330. ---
**Author:** ![Dakotaboy](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/dakotaboy/32/21842_2.png) [@Dakotaboy](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Dakotaboy)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 7:59pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/26 "2019-01-09T19:59:48Z")
To the best of my knowledge, the stock Chey V8s were: (small block) 265, 283, 302 (Z28 1967-1969), 305 (in the '80s), 327, 350 and 400; (big block) 348, 396, 402 (badged 396 in 1970), 427 and 454. This was until the '90s or '00s. Per Google, the 355 appears to be an aftermarket high performance engine. ---
**Author:** ![Cavell](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/cavell/32/43396_2.png) [@Cavell](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Cavell)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 8:23pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/27 "2019-01-09T20:23:51Z")
well, i bet the 355 is a result of a .030 overbore. you could also have said it is a chevy smallblock. 327?350?383? heck i think a 388 is a standard 383 stroker with a .040 over bore vs . 030 overbore ---
**Author:** ![eddo](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/eddo/32/2594_2.png) [@eddo](https://community.cartalk.com/u/eddo)\ **Post date:** [January 9, 2019, 8:24pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/28 "2019-01-09T20:24:03Z")
> [@Cavell](#): > > well, if the OP says the timing was right before the work than i would consider that bit of info Good point, but- from what we have here, we don’t know why new heads and carb were installed. Just a performance upgrade? or repairing some previous issue? @George_San_Jose1 as I read what you have written, “Off” in the response from Hot Rod could simply mean “Not correct.” ie: Something is off. and then they list of things to check, to help get it right again. I don’t read it as a specific terminology pinpointing an exact diagnoses. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 10, 2019, 1:30am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883/29 "2019-01-10T01:30:11Z")
> [@eddo](#): > > Off” in the response from Hot Rod could simply mean “Not correct.” ie: Something is off. I think that’s correct interpretation. When a word is in quotes like that, it usually a reference to meaning that is purposely imprecise. e.g. The installation is “off”, (but I have no idea what’s wrong exactly.) If anybody here or the CarTalk staff knows the folks at _Hot Rod_, maybe they can ask Marlin Davis (the author of the article) to chime in. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/distributor-re-install-is-off/131883.md?page=1)