On the gear, there is normally a dot machined in to the side, this aligns with the rotor pointer. It aids the installer when aligning the oil pump drive shaft to the distributor gear drive. ( 99% of what I work on is Pontiac stuff, so this maybe related to them ) If you know where the dot and rotor are, you can turn the oil pump drive so they mess together with out rotating the engine or taking multiple stabs at it.
