ignition question

3

3thumbs

Junior Member
I recently got my new Bert's engine for my tudor. When it was running the old engine, I got a petronix ignition and installed it. When I put it in the new engine, the number one spark position comes up about 180 degrees from where the old one came up. Both valves are closed, and number one is at tdc on the compression stroke. The rotor now points at the starter. I eventually decided to just move the wires.

What I am wondering is why is it 180 off from the old engine? I don't see that the petronix allows the rotor to be re-aligned. I haven't gotten it back together enough yet to start it, but I don't see why it wouldn't.

Thanks in advance for any ideas.
Dave
 
The petronix is not the problem. You need to rotate the engine around until the valves are in the correct position to fire. Remember the crank gear rotates twice as much as the cam gear so you can be off 180 degrees.
 
I would assume the distributor drive gear is just installed in a different
position than it was on the original engine.

Bob
 
Your probably not at TDC compression stroke. Try rotating the motor with your thumb on the plug hole. When you feel the air come up then align the dimple the rotor should face right
 
Mitch//pa said:
Your probably not at TDC compression stroke. Try rotating the motor with your thumb on the plug hole. When you feel the air come up then align the dimple the rotor should face right
Click to expand...


It is most definitely TDC on the compression stroke, and both valves are closed. The only problem, if there is a problem, is that the number one firing position is 180 degrees from the original engine. On the number one firing spot, the rotor is pointing at the driver, where the on old engine it was pointing at the right front fender.
 
Maybe I'm missing something, but if you're definitely at TDC on #1 (timing pin in the hole), all you need to do is loosen the cam screw and rotate the cam/rotor to align with #1 on the cap, and tighten the screw at the position where the points are just starting to open (or whatever you do to set up a Petronix system to give you spark at TDC on #1... not familiar with them).

I would think it would be a major coincidence if a new engine or a rebuilt engine that was pulled apart would go together with the drive gear positioned off of the camshaft in exactly the same position as the old engine. Sounds like the drive tang/slot is 180 degrees out from the old engine.
 
I was thinking you had a magneto, but see you have a Petronix, so like the guys have said, just loosen the distributor cam screw and turn the cam 180*.
 
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