Been about 50 yrs since I have rebuilt an Olds engine. I read that when rebuilding the 394 when you put in your new timing chain, once you get your timing marks aligned, you should set the rotor of the distributor toward the #6 cyl. Is this correct as I always thought that it is supposed to be pointing to the #1 cyl. Any & all input will be greatly appreciated.

 

I just rebuilt the distributor in my 1962 Super 88's 394. When putting it back in I positioned cylinder #1 at TDC-compression and installed the distributor with the rotor pointing straight ahead (parallel to the driveshaft). That's the way it was before I took it out, and I put it back in that way so I wouldn't have to change the plug wires in the towers.

It doesn't really matter which tower you have the distributor pointing to, as long as you move the plug wires so that when cylinder #1 is at compression TDC the plug tower that the rotor points to has the #1 wire on it, and all of the wires following the rotor counterclockwise are in the right firing order.

I guess It really does matter, in that there are some positions that are better than others when it comes to where the long and short plug wires go. You have to have enough wire length to reach all the plugs.

Installing with the rotor pointing straight forward worked out well for me.

 

Thanks Bob. Located my shop manual today & that is what it shows. #1 almost directly running forward (with driveshaft) so I would say I am good to go.