Distributor & Timing question?

[70z4fun]

Greetings all, Finally got my 204z out of the garage, and took it for a drive. Car is running pretty good, but when I got out the timing light, I had to retard the timing and loosen the little 8mm nut on the distributor to get the timing marks to get to 10deg. TDC. Seems odd. It seems like the distributor is usually at "O" when I did timing before. I did mess with the oil pump over the winter, and I thought I had the distributor drive at the "11:25" position.

So, could I have it off one tooth? Will it run ok if the timing is off one tooth as long as the distributor is retarded?

The car is a series one with stock distributor with electronic ignition. 

Any advice is appreciated.....

 

Edited June 4, 2023 by 70z4fun

[Captain Obvious]

6 hours ago, 70z4fun said:

So, could I have it off one tooth? Will it run ok if the timing is off one tooth as long as the distributor is retarded?

Yes, and yes.

It could be off one tooth, and as long as you can adjust for it by moving the distributor, the end result is "it's OK that way".

[Av8ferg]

I recently messed with my timing.   its a L28 and when I checked it it was ay 15 Deg before TDC at 800 rpm.  Ran great there, lots of torque between 3500-4500 RPM snd would flatten around 5000 RPM.  I've been chasing a rich running engine so I thought I'd mess with the timing a bit.  I adjusted it to 12 Deg and not the perforce has shifted greatly/. Noe the engine runs flat after about 3300 rpm.   Less power, less torque.  Your post makes me wonder if Im a tooth off too, but I put mine all together on a stand a was pretty sure it was spot on.  Going to move the timing 1 deg between test drives.  This is called the redneck Dino.  

[zspert]

Z cars always seen to want 12 BTDC