I have an 88 camaro with a v8 which is now a gm goodwrench crate 350 with a carb, and internal coil hei. It has an almost new proform distributer, good plug wires and good plugs, It was running fine then one day I went to start it to move it so I could mow the grass under it, but it loped very rougly and had some flat spots when I reved it but it still started and I could move it. The next day I was gonna start it to see if I could figure out the Rough loping idle, but it would not start at all, it would only fire on one cylinder. So I checked the distributer out for problems like cracks or carbon deposits and replaced the roter cap and scraped the cap terminals clean, that still did not help the problem so I changed to another distributer and cap that ran fine when removed and that still did not help. My dad and I kept trying to figure out the problem and still couldnt, so we came to the conclusion that it had jumped time. So I pulled the timing cover off and the mark on the cam gear is pointing straight up and the crank gear is also, the roter on the distributer is pointing towards number 1 cylinder but I thought they were supposed to be across from each other but a mechanic friend of mine told me that I should rotate it until the marks are together and the distributer should be pointing like its 180 out. I have a new timing chain but I dont wanna put it all back together until im sure about everything. I would appreciate any help that I could get, Thank you.

 

No, your basic static distributor timing is correct. With a factory timing sprocket and chain set (or a clone), having the crankshaft sprocket and camshaft sprocket markers at 12 O'clock and 12 O'clock would position the cam and crank for firing on the #1 cylinder.

 

I would also make sure your coil has good voltage going to it.

Timing is sometimes confusing, but Vader is right. Crank rotates twice for revolution of the camshaft.

 

I installed the timing chain and it started and ran just fine, then the next day it wouldnt do anything so im gonna run a wire straight from my battery to the coil to make sure its getting good voltage.