How to adjust the cam for cool running

O

oldford

Senior Member
Engine seems to be running hot. I know there are lots of things that can affect engine running hot but I would like to check the distributor cam. From top dead center should I rotate the cam a little bit CW or CCW.
 
i'm afraid the answer, IME, is not so simple...

i'm assuming you're talking about retarding or advancing the timing, BTW.

and whether or not the engine coolant temperature increases or decreases depends on where the timing was at when it is was either advanced or retarded.

or one may simply want to just ask google a question like this: "will retarding the timing make an engine run hotter?". and see what it says. the answer will be immediate and is a good start if not always all that accurate. :)
 
hueyhoolihan said:
i'm afraid the answer, IME, is not so simple...

i'm assuming you're talking about retarding or advancing the timing, BTW.

and whether or not the engine coolant temperature increases or decreases depends on where the timing was at when it is was either advanced or retarded.

or one may simply want to just ask google a question like this: "will retarding the timing make an engine run hotter?". and see what it says. the answer will be immediate and is a good start if not always all that accurate. :)
Click to expand...

Thanks I will try that but what rotation will retard it, CW or CCW.
 
You will retard by moving the point plate in the same direction as the rotation of the rotor, if you are working on the early flatheads with the distributor on the front of the engine. If you are working on an 8BA you will turn the distributor in the direction that the rotor turns.
 
Since the cam is gear-driven I doubt that is out of place enough to cause overheating. Changing stuff from the factory settings just causes more problems. Chances are the radiator needs cleaning, a thermostat is not opening all the way, or a head gasket is leaking. I would check the temperature with a digital thermometer and see if one head is running hotter than the other one, If they are both the same then chances are the radiator is clogged. Check the radiator for spots that are not as hot as the rest of the core to see if some of the tubes are plugged. I was mechanic for 40 years and 90% of the time it's the radiator, once in a while a thermostat. but with old flatheads there's always the chance of a head gasket or a crack.
 
While I agree that the radiator is a culprit causing a lot of overheating problems, I have to say that I had a ‘33 phaeton that ran hot and was very sluggish on a pull. After taking the distributor off and setting the timing and dwell correctly, it ran cool and was never a problem. Yes, I have a KR Wilson timing fixture and a Ford-Heyer diagnostic machine, so I dialed the distributor in perfectly.
 
oldford said:
Thanks I will try that but what rotation will retard it, CW or CCW.
Click to expand...

the model year of the car the engine model and type of distributor needs to be known to answer that question. i.e. front mounted diver's helmet or later crab style or a more modern side mounted distributor. the reason being that not all flathead motors had a distributor body capable of being rotated.
 
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