Clockwise or counter clockwise? I would assume clockwise. The reason I ask is that I took the distributor out and had it marked so I could just drop it back in. While rewiring the Nash, I accidentally hit the starter and the engine turned for a brief second, so I'm going to try and compensate by moving off the mark a little bit. Just need to know which direction.
All distributors turn the opposite direction the vacuum advance points. In the case of Chevy, it is clockwise. You'll save yourself some trouble and grief by setting the engine on TDC/compression stroke and installing the distributor.
What Larry said. I just did the same thing on my 40 when we had to turn the motor over with the distributer out.
Larry nailed it. If you wrap your thumb around the vacuum advance and your index finger around the distributor your index finger will be pointing in the direction of rotation. Don't be surprised if you have to bring the engine up on compression and drop the distributor in more than once to get it right and in the right spot. Anyone who says he gets it perfect the first time every time is lying to himself if no one else.
Everyone is giving you good advise, you have no way of knowing how far it moved when you hit the starter so the only way to get it right is to start from scratch. Bring number one up on compression stroke (put your thumb over the number one spark plug hole while someone bumps the starter (or better yet, use a breaker bar to turn the crank) and when you start feeling compression look at the timing mark on the damper and bring it around until the marks line up. Now you can drop the distributor back in and pointing to number one. If you do it the way you are thinking about you risk being way off on your timing. Don
Yah, I know.... But I thought I would give it a shot and see if I could get lucky. If that doesn't work I'll start from scratch.
If you're going to try the "get lucky" deal, make sure you have an air cleaner on the carb to arrest the fire that may well belch out. Whatever you do, don' have anyone, including yourself, hanging your upper body into the engine compartment where the fireball can get to your hair. Don't ask me how I know this........
Next time, look at the way the plug wires are on the cap..18436.... Start over, like the ohters said. Its a good thing to know how to do. Good Luck
Actually good practice to do one up from scratch.. and a discipline as well. Nothing worse than being one stinkin' tooth off and have it drive you nuts for a while. Bob
Not to be an ass or rain on your parade or whatever the proper things to say about what I am going to ask is but, how ya going to guess how many degrees the engine turned?
If it wasn't on TDC when you pulled the distributor and you turn the crank to get it to TDC, remember that the oil pump drive may need to be turned with a long screwdriver to get it lined up. Then the distributor will drop right in place.
That works but it is actually the hard way. Drop the distributer where you want it then bump the motor over. When the oil pump drive lines up the distributer will drop into place.
Better do it the right way, otherwise it will backfire so hard it pulls rocker studs right out of the head! Ask me how I know...