My truck came with a cam/crank correlation code. I used my scan tool to check the offset of the #1 (at operating temperature over 1000rpm) and it was 2°. So I loosened the mounting bolt a little and turned the distributor assembly and rescanned until the offset was 0°.
2 degrees is the tolerance. Shouldn't set a code, shouldn't need to be adjusted.
The idle got much rougher and it started missing, and the code didn’t go away either (I cleared it and it came back),
Are you sure your scan tool is operating correctly? I'm wondering if your scan tool is lying to you about the cam/crank correlation.
so I decided to take the distributor out, reset the #1 to tdc, etc. The pointer on the distributor has a 6 on it. It’s a V8 5.7. Is this a problem at all?
Nope. All the distributor bodies have both the "6" and the "8" molded into them. Keep looking for the "8". Be certain that #1 is on TDC-Compression, not TDC-Exhaust.
While the distributor is out, verify the distributor gear (known for excessive wear) and the main shaft slop in the housing (housing/bushings commonly wiped-out.)
The United Motor Products
vented distributor cap, and rotor have a lot of love on this forum.
Also, how long of a screwdriver am I going to need to get to the oil pump drive shaft?
Maybe that's helpful on the Vortec engines. I've never set a Vortec distributor, although at some point I'm gonna have to do that on my 97 K2500 7.4L.
On non-Vortec engines, I just crank the starter in short bursts until the distributor aligns with the oil pump shaft, and drops the last little bit onto the intake manifold. Then I return to TDC-Compression to finish the job. I don't know why this would not work on Vortecs...but as I said, I've never done it.