MAC11 update

[Rick Houck]

Thanks to Cody and everyone who offered ideas. I went back in the garage 
tonight and confirmed a few last details. Here is what I did (some for the 
umpteenth time):

1. installed brand new plugs-no change
2. installed used distributor cap and plug wires from another motor-no 
change
3. changed entire distributor with good used one and new rotor- no change
4. checked firing order and correct rotor rotation, then flywheel, pulley, 
rotor marks and #1 plug wire to make sure - all correct and lined up
5. re-indexed plug wires off one position in either direction - no start
6. checked for codes - all well (4444)
7. attached timing light and looked for mark on pulley and flywheel - NO 
SHOW!!
8. Reved motor while watching other visible marks on flywheel and pulley - 
they advanced gradually until I got around 2400 RPM then the light quit 
firing everytime as the engine missed and backfired.
9. rotated distributor after it was running to verify that it ran better and 
reved almost like normal - same as before, it did, but would not re-start if 
left in that position
10. unplugged knock sensor to see what would happen - no change
11. swapped RPM and crank position sensor connections - no start
12. pulled starter to verify that no teeth are damaged or missing and that 
the flywheel pin was still there - teeth showed only minor signs of stupid 
engagement while engine running sometime in the past and the pin was there, 
and no other holes (with a missing pin) were found
13. Decided to give up and drink a full keg to drown my misery, but didn't 
have one.

My conclusion:
I think all the individual parts are working properly but the timing pin is 
in the wrong location. All of my last 9 years of track events with this 
MC1engine and 7A flywheel performing beautifully are just a figment of my 
imagination, or a bad fairy came and modified my flywheel between run 
groups. I'm at a loss to understand it now, unless something has been 
retarding my timing just enough to offset the incorrect position until 
recently.

Questions:
Shouldn't I be able to see the TDC "0" mark on the flywheel with the timing 
light at idle (I think so), or on the front pulley?
Is there any way I could have installed the 7A flywheel off one hole? - I 
don't think so, but I just went until all the holes lined up for the bolts 
without trying the next position.
How do I find the correct position for the pin, so I can hopefully redrill 
and install it through the starter opening? Can I simply pull the pin sensor 
while the visible mark is on the "0" and mark that location, or is there an 
offset of a few degrees?

Thanks again to everyone.

frustrated Rick