Is this too far advanced?

Brianfrench65

Brianfrench65

Well-known member
I just checked my timing again. The spark lever is all the way up, and the timing pin is in the cam gear hole.
 

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It may be the picture but it looks like the upper plate
could retard about another 1/8" before the lever hits
the end of the window in the distributor body.

Bob
 
I am going to take a stab at this. I am not one of the real authorities on this site, so dont take this as the final word. I tkink some of the real gurus here will answer you. Now here is what i think. I think you have advanced by maybe 5 degrees. Reason is that i think your distributor pin should line up at the trailing edge if the rotor tab if sparking at 0 degrees TDC. I think also that with max advance with spark lever all the way down, your dist. Pin should line up at the leading edge of the rotor tab. I think the rotor tab is 20* wide of dist rotation or 40* of crank rotation. If this is not true, i hope someone will guide you correctly. Maybe I will learn something too
 
I have spent hours working on mine. When I retarded to the trailing edge... truck was NOT a happy camper. It had very rough idle and even advancing was not a smooth as I thought it should be. Keep in mind I am a newbie to A's but not to old boat and car engines.

I tweaked it up (about where yours is maybe a little more retarded) and it starts instantly, idles smooth and a nice power curve.

How many degrees? I do not know it just feels right!
I am running a F.S. Pertronix Ignitor which might influence the game some.
 
You can check it as follows: With the spark level all the way up, withdraw the timing pin and turn it around. Remove the distributor cap, rotor and body. Turn on the ignition switch, put transmission in neutral and set the emergency brake. Insert the timing pin in backwards with pressure and turn the engine over with the crank. As soon as the the pin sets into the timing gear recess a spark should occur between the breaker points. This works better with clean point surfaces. If not adjust timing.
 
A little tip that many know but not all. Sharpen your timing bolt to a dull point, instead of the rounded. This can be accomplished by chucking it in a drill and grinding, ( a drill press is best.) It make the timing gear divot so much easier to feel.
 
Brianfrench65 said:
This is with the spark rod, all the way down.
Click to expand...

It will look the same regardless of where the spark lever is located. Moving the spark lever only rotates the upper plate with the points and changes when the points break and spark occurs.

If your timing pin is aligned with the dimple in the gear then you are slightly too far retarded.
 
Marco is the man on this topic (Among others). I was just going to say the same thing about the spark lever not affecting the rotor position at TDC.
If moving the spark lever full retarded does not put the upper plate arm against the body, and moving full advance does... you probably need to rotate the steering column.
 
Thank you all. Making the timing pin with a slight taper, just at the end helped. Now I think I am okay.
I did check the range of the spark lever (with a helper) and it appears to have the full action, tight to the body opening at each end of the stroke.

Again, thank you all.
 
Just got off the phone with a fellow A owner. During the timing discussion he told me
He has his set at -5 ATDC. That does not sound right to me for the the #1 contact to be to be 5 degrees left of the rotor edge?
Am I missing something here?

I put mine dead on the left point and it lopes and dies.

None of the books show it that way????
 
Rotor position does not affect timing, when the points open is what affects timing. Use of the timing pin is what locates TDC of #1 cyl. on the firing stroke. So the rotor will automatically be in the right position unless something is totally out of whack, like the distributor gear being a tooth off. As outlined in post #6, you set the dist. cam so the points are just on the verge of opening, or just barely open. Again, if you set the timing this way, the rotor has to be pointing in the right direction.
Also, this only sets base, or initial, timing. Actual running timing is set by you when you pull the spark lever down, and everybody has their favorite position. So what if the base timing is 2-3 degrees off! You compensate by moving the lever a couple notches up or down to where you like the sound of the engine, right? Just don't have the base timing advanced to where the engine kicks back when starting.
 
As Marco said, your picture shows the timing is set a bit retarded. Turn the cam a bit counterclockwise so the trailing edge of the rotor lines up with the trailing edge of the contact. Then lightly turn the rotor or cam clockwise with your fingers to make sure all the freeplay is on the leading side of the cam, just as it would be while running.
 

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This should go without saying, but everyone should be using the wrench the vendors sell or something like that to hold the rotor still when tightening.

T12210CW.jpg
 
Again, thank you all.

Receiving the wrench as shown in post #19, today.

I have printed and studied the Ford Barn link.

I should be running great by tomorrow, local opening cruise night at Star Drive In.

Thank You.
 
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