Re: setting the timing

Posted by Bob Carabbio on December 19, 1997 at 22:50:34

In Reply to: setting the timing
posted by Wayne Parker on December 19, 1997 at 19:05:59

Timing, eh-
Sounds like your method worked out fine."A"s aren't all that critical.I used to set the timing on mine with the spark lever down a couple of notches just so I could get a little lower Idle in full retard position.However, if the points just open as the timing mark passes with the lever all the way retarded, that's about as close to right as you can get.
1)I generally check that by marking the pully, and setting up a wire pointer so that I don't have to fool with the timing pin.Then turning the motor with the crank to make sure the points actually do open just as the timing mark passes.The reason is that the gears on the camshaft, and the drive gear for the distributer are generally worn and may be in odd relation to each other after tightening the screw, but turning the engine over once establishes the running relationship of the shafts.
When tightening the screw, you can sometimes feel the spring load on the camshaft.In other words when tightening the screw you may feel the shaft "Give" in a clockwise direction.If it doesn't spring back in a counterclockwise direction, then the spring plunger in the timing cover that preloads the camshaft may be stuck, or the spring broken.This will affect the timing accuracy BIG TIME, and isn't good for the camshaft gears either.
Your starting problem may be related to over, or under choking the engine.If it starts rich (Smoking and missing) then you probably choked it too much.If it starts clean, or seems to be starving for gas, then you didn't choke it enough.I generally get the motor turning with the starter, and just flip the choke when starting warm, I also don't generally richen the mixture when warm.

2)Timing shouldn't affect starting unless it's WAY off.If the engine starts and settles into a nice low idle ("Cadillacing")with the spark retarded, then it's ballparkey. If it takes a lot of throttle to keep the engine running, and the exhaust is noisey it's too retarded.If the engine seems to fire against the starter when cranking, then it's too far advanced and you're going to have starter problems quickly.YES!!! ALWAYS RETARD ALL THE WAY - your starter's life depends on it.
Check the spark condition- If you're using an old coil, it may be weak, or the Condenser may be weak.In the evening, pull the wire out of the distributer, and hold it to the block - about 1/8" away.Crank the engine.The spark should be regular, fat, and blue.
If it's irregular, fix the points,If it's yellowish, change the condenser. if it's still yellowish, change the coil.
3) With a stock engine, you can play, and maybe do some good, but BE CAREFUL about advancing the setting since it's rough on the starter if the engine kicks back on it.with 4.5:1 compression there's not that much good you can do.

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