Distributor needs way too much advance

[ozconnection]

Whoa, slow down mate!!!

Please don't start fiddling with your fuel system YET......unless to fix your enviromental disasters. We're not done with the ignition yet.

Cylinder 1 is closest to the radiator.

The valve cover could be taken off OR take all the plugs out and turn your crank over with a big 1 1/16 socket and put your finger over cylinder one spark plug hole. You'll feel pressure build as the piston rises on the compression stroke, look for the notch on the harmonic balancer rising clockwise and take your dizzy cap off and see if the rotor button has the electrode pointing forwards toward the radiator. (the dizzy thing will be correct IF no-one has previously rebuilt the thing and put it together 180 degrees out of phase....then the rotor electrode will be facing exactly the other way, towards the engine firewall.)

You have a front cover, its the thing that your water pump, oil pump and distributor is attached to. It is this cover that your timing plate bolts to also.

The timing plate is about 3 inches long and has a serrated or jagged edge on it with numbers on it 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20. There are two common positions for its location and in either case close to the harmonic balancer. Sometimes they are to the distributor side of the front cover, sometimes to the alternator side.

Harmonic balancers and timing plates are a matched pair so its critical to see where your notch on the HB is at TDC so you can get the correct timing plate on your engine. (Who was the dumb arse who removed it in the first place....what a retard!!) Oh well, you're stuck with the problem until you can get one if it isn't there. I do have another solution for you, but if you can't be bothered with taking the rocker cover off, my other tip is too labour intensive perhaps. See how you get on.

In the meantime, get it to run as best you can but remember that getting the engine timed is critical to proper performance. Anything else you do from this point will be in vain. That's the bottom line. I think anyone who reads this will agree with me.

Do you have a Factory service manual? Get one as they're good bedtime reading. It'll help you heaps with this and later with any other work you wish to undertake on your engine.

Cheers

[Gary in NJ]

The timing plate is about 3 inches long and has a serrated or jagged edge on it with numbers on it 0, 5, 10, 15, and 20. There are two common positions for its location and in either case close to the harmonic balancer. Sometimes they are to the distributor side of the front cover, sometimes to the alternator side.

For what's it worth, my timing marks are on the harmonic balancer, with a fixed pointer on the timing cover. If yours is the same, you can "recreate" the pointer by confirming absolute TDC, and then attach a bent wire across from the zero mark. Or, just purchase the correct part.

Timing by ear is much harder then correcting a missing part.

In the grand scheme of things, removing the valve cover is a non-event. As a bonus, its an opportunity to check the valve lash.

[ChrisZ]

You do not need to remove the valve cover, if you take of the filler cap, you can put your fingers down there and feel if the cam is pointing up on cyl #1

[ChrisB77]

+1 removing oil filler cap

[ozconnection]

For what's it worth, my timing marks are on the harmonic balancer, with a fixed pointer on the timing cover. If yours is the same, you can "recreate" the pointer by confirming absolute TDC, and then attach a bent wire across from the zero mark. Or, just purchase the correct part.

Timing by ear is much harder then correcting a missing part.

In the grand scheme of things, removing the valve cover is a non-event. As a bonus, its an opportunity to check the valve lash.

I don't know if your balancer is stock if the notches are on it? However, I agree that the rocker cover coming off is perhaps the easiest option and that he should buy the timing plate if it's not there. Good place to start!!

[dimitri_zee]

The way I check for TDC is with a torch through the oil filler cap and looking at the lobes on the cam for cylinder #1. They should form a "V" pointing down; as in one lobe at 45' to the left of the engine and the other lobe 45' to the right. If and when you can confirm that with what timing marker you have on the front of your motor, you can check your dizzy.

[Gary in NJ]

The way I check for TDC is with a torch through the oil filler cap

Here's one of those cases where it shows we are a common people separated by a similar language. In America, a "torch" is something that throws a flame. In the rest of the world, a torch is what we call a "flash light".

[sblake01]

One really doesn't have to reach outside of the the U.S. to find that seperation.......

[Gary in NJ]

I don't know if your balancer is stock if the notches are on it?

The '72 FSM shows the set-up I have (Figure ET-4) and describes it correctly. This is the same set-up that I had on my '71.

However, in the same FSM Figure EC-47 shows the timing marks you describe. I can only guess that both systems were used in that year.

I think the scale on the timing cover, with the single mark on the HB, is easier to read.

Edited May 17, 2010 by Gary in NJ

[ChrisZ]

Here's one of those cases where it shows we are a common people separated by a similar language. In America, a "torch" is something that throws a flame. In the rest of the world, a torch is what we call a "flash light".

That is so much not true, over here it's a "lommelygte";)

Chris

Edited May 17, 2010 by ChrisZ
spell !!!

[sblake01]

I guess he meant in the rest of the world that speaks English. Even so, the statement still wouldn't be true.

[impulsive]

Z-Luke,

Send me a PM, I'll be happy to drive over and take a look at these problems with you.