Thread: Position of H.E.I. cap in relation to firewall

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On my Chev small block (1985) with HEI factory ignition, the HEI cap has a rectangular shape cast into the distributor cap. When looking down onto the cap, assuming that the rotor turns clockwise, the second terminal past the cap is the terminal which I designated as number 1 plug when I reinstalled the distributor. That was based on number one cylinder coming up on compression, and the timing mark on the harmonic balancer lining up with the timing pointer. This should have, in my opinion, meant that that rectangular projection points directly towards the drivers side frame rail, pretty well at 90 degrees to the crankshaft centerline. I have started the car, with vacuum advance disabled and the carb vacuum line plugged. It seems that if I advance the timing by rotating the distributor body counterclockwise untill that rectangular projection almost hits the firewall, that the engine runs very smooth, but the timing marks are way off (showing huge advanced timing using a timing light).----if I retard the timing by turning the distributor body clockwise, I can get the timing marks to line up by the timing light, but the engine runs very rough.-----I assume from all this, that I must be off one tooth on the distributor gear to cam gear mesh. I think that to correct matters, so that the engine runs smoothly with the timing marks correctly aligned, that I have to lift up the distributor and turn it by one tooth . Question is, when viewed from above , do I rotate it clockwise one tooth or counterclockwise one tooth?