L24 Oil Pump Shaft Angle

[rand]

I'm following the instructions in Tom Monroe's "How to Rebuild Your Nissan & Datsun OHC Engine" and I'm at the step where I need to install the oil pump and distributor drive shaft.

 

In the book, he has a picture of the angle of the installed shaft relative to the distributor mounting face.  I've tried pulling and reinserting the shaft for about 30 minutes (slightly rotating it this way and that each time) and can't figure out a way to get the angle any closer to what's pictured.  I can either get it installed way more clockwise, or way more counterclockwise. How important is this exact angle?  

 

Tom's instructions:

 

My best effort so far:

[ZHoob2004]

Have you verified your engine is actually at TDC? Your damper or timing marks could easily be off a few degrees. Enough to give you the results you're seeing.

 

Verify TDC with a piece of aluminum rod or a piston stop in the #1 plug and then go from there.

[rand]

@ZHoob2004 Thanks, I think you're right.  The Monroe book hasn't told me to find an accurate TDC with a degree wheel yet.  I've only zero'd it out with a dial indicator before the head went on.  I'm ordering a degree wheel and piston stop online now - I'll get it to TDC and report back.

[ZHoob2004]

If it hasn't been rotated since you put the head on you should still be at TDC, but it's still possible you've moved it, especially when putting on the timing chain. My guess is you're a degree or so off. If it still doesn't line up any better, I'd probably call it good enough.