10* Degrees Before top dead center issue!

[GOskidmark]

Where is 10* Before TDC on the pully? All I see is this.

Sorry it's blurry, it's a phone camera.

I'm trying to set the crank right so I can drop in the Dizzy, but I have no
clue where 10* BTDC is.

Note: I did NOT make those white marks on the pully.

 

[low_five]

ok, the first white mark (the one closest to the bottom of your picture) has the letters TC. That stands for Top Center someone put white paint there to show it easier. then, each mark counts for 2 degrees of timing. the first numbers you see, 1 2 stands for 12 degrees of timing. if you count, you will notice it is 6 marks from TC. someone marked about 8-10 degrees apparently to show up easier when timing it. youre ahead of yourself though, you want to set it at TC when you stab the distributor.

 

[GOskidmark]

youre ahead of yourself though, you want to set it at TC when you stab the distributor.

Thank you for the answer, but how was I getting ahead of myself?
I set the crank then shoved in the dizzy. I hooked the wires up and bam,
she runs but still a little bit out of time. Way better than it was.

The reason I even pulled the dizzy was because when I shot it with a timing
light, It was about 50* retarded. You could barley see the 8* mark set on the crank, so when I tried to turn the dizzy to the correct timing, the truck died.

The guy who was messing with it before and must of pulled out the dizzy and put it back in wrong. I turned the motor to Top dead center, and the rotor bug was pointed at cylinder # 4 in the firing order. That's when I pulled the dizzy back out a reset it to point at #1.

Long story a little shorter, I got it started an it does not misfire on idle, but
it sounds like a drag car when it idles, and still stumbles when WOT. If i press the gas smoothly, it revs with no problems. I'm going to get this thing timed right even if it kills me.

Thank you for the help on the pulley, it helped allot!

 

[low_five]

ok, it sounded like you wanted to stab the distributor at 10btdc. are you pulling out the little spout plug out before you check the timing? 50btdc is pretty high.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

pull the spout wire and set it at 10 that is 1 mark below the 12 at the top or the white mark. tighten the dizzy and check it then plug the spout wire back in. The spout is the single wire connector coming off the dizzy wire connector about 6 inches.

 

[kimcrwbr1]

If you changed or cleaned any sensors go ahead and disconnect the battery for 15 minutes then take it for a good test drive at medium speeds for 20 minutes then while it is still hot pull the codes. Or not it sounds like you almost there if it runs good and gets good mileage your probably there.

 

[bobbywalter]

think about this.

































10 degreesBEFORE top dead center

 

[GOskidmark]

I now see what I did wrong, but I was still on the right track, I have to readjust the dizzy again. ( Yes the spout was out, when I was adjusting the base timing. ) I do understand what Before top dead center means, but it's getting the dizzy in the right place is a pain in the rear. I don't have a tool to adjust the oil pump, so I have to wiggle it until it slides down.

I was told to set the crank between 8-10* before top dead center,
then pull the dizzy out and adjust it to where the rotor bug points to
cylinder #1. Meaning the cap is just about to strike #1.

If I'm wrong on this please correct me.

 

[Big Jim M]

Skid it is done like this.. You already have it running close.. So you need a fine tune adjustment.. So loosen the hold-down bolt just enough so you can -with effort- turn the dist just a small amount one way of another.. Then start the engine with the light on the #1 plug wire.. Now look at the timing with the spout OUT.. then slowly twist the dist while looking at the timing mark.. You should be able to get it EXACTLY where you want it.. Then tighten the hold-down bolt and recheck the timing to make sure you didn't get the timing off while tightening....
The one thing to be wary of is getting the dist TOO LOOSE! If it is loosened too much it MAY start turning all by itself and futch up lots of things before the engine dies..
THE ABOVE IS THE METHOD ALL MECHANICS USE!
Big Jim

 

[meatshieldchris]

ok similar question: I'm having trouble figuring out what the timing SHOULD be with a timing light, at idle, with the spout connector off. It was lined up with TC at first and would be hard to start and run poorly, then I set it to the other large mark (that looked like it was between a 27 and 30 number), and it ran GREAT but pinged under load. So I stumbled onto this thread. So it should be 10 degrees? Or is the OP setting it to 10 degrees for some other reason?

 

[Big Jim M]

Yea!

ok similar question: I'm having trouble figuring out what the timing SHOULD be with a timing light, at idle, with the spout connector off. It was lined up with TC at first and would be hard to start and run poorly, then I set it to the other large mark (that looked like it was between a 27 and 30 number), and it ran GREAT but pinged under load. So I stumbled onto this thread. So it should be 10 degrees? Or is the OP setting it to 10 degrees for some other reason?

TEN DEGREES BEFORE TOP DEAD CENTER with the spout out at normal idle 600/700 rpm is the factory setting and it should run like a scalded cat!
Big JIm