SEE POST 15. Checking the timing marks is the ONLY sure way to know where you are. Slipped balancer outer ring, mismarked aftermarket balancer, or wrong one for application
"Where the distributor is," has nothing to do with timing, so long as you can get no1 wire in where it needs to be to be in time. On most engines, and on Mopar ones, you can throw the distributor gear in without looking, toss the distributor in after it. Then bring the engine up on no1 compression and on the marks, and stuff no1 in whatever tower where the rotor points. You may have to move the wire to get enough "swing" to adjust the distributor. Time it and run it
My VERY first car, in 1966, a 57 Chev 265, I did not know any better, NO idea where I had the drive gear and no1. Ran fine. I went into a gas station and the "jock" looked in there and says "that can't run right."
"Why?"
"The plug wires are wrong, it has to be out of time."
Uh..........................................wrong.......................................
There ARE certain engines where this matters, IE V6's where the dist cap towers are unevenly spaced in pairs. You cannot move the plug wires just one hole