Timing Lever Insight

mattgic

mattgic

Junior Member
I have a 1928.
I am currently running everything to stock specs.

  • With the timing advance arm disconnected there is a range of 11 "clicks" on the stearing column lever
  • With the timing arm connected there is a range of 5 "clicks"

Meaning, when it is all the way up, I have just 5 clicks down before it is obstructed by the distibuter.

Is this normal?
I have looked at getting a new arm, but the ones offered are the same lenghth as the one currently on the car. A longer one would set it back farther giving it more range.

I don't know of any way to adjust the range area on the distributer.

I can't change the position of the connector on the stearing column.
 
Hello, sometimes you may have to bend the spark connector rod to get the range of adjustment you need. The arms and levers are pinned into location so not much adjustment is there,Perhaps a new rod might help also. Good luck.
 
Hello again, is the steering column in location? If it is shifted off center, that would effect the spark and gas lever location.
 
Here is some trivia for you. The range of spark advance at the crankshaft is 40 degrees. So each notch in the lever quadrant advances the spark approximately 3.6 Degrees of crankshaft rotation before a piston reaches TDC on the Compression Stroke (40/11=3.6 Degrees).
 
mattgic said:
I have a 1928.
I am currently running everything to stock specs.

  • With the timing advance arm disconnected there is a range of 11 "clicks" on the stearing column lever
  • With the timing arm connected there is a range of 5 "clicks"

Meaning, when it is all the way up, I have just 5 clicks down before it is obstructed by the distibuter.

Is this normal?
I have looked at getting a new arm, but the ones offered are the same lenghth as the one currently on the car. A longer one would set it back farther giving it more range.

I don't know of any way to adjust the range area on the distributer.

I can't change the position of the connector on the stearing column.
Click to expand...

There is a pin on the underside of your distributor that goes into a hole in the top of the head. So before you start modifying anything, make sure that this pin is in the hole when you drop the distributor down. Then snug up the lock screw and jam nut on the side of the head to lock the distributor down.

Do not over-tighten that screw. Just snug and then make the jam nut tight.

On a 1928 car, you do not have the ability to loosen the steering column and rotate it to adjust the spark lever position, like you do with a later 2-tooth steering column.

It is not a new "arm" that you need, it is a new "spark rod".

There is a window, a slot, on the side of the bakelite distributor body that the arm swings through. With the spark lever inside the car all the way up, the lever should be just touching the edge of the window closest to the exhaust manifold. Then when you pull the spark lever down inside the car, the distributor arm should just be touching the other end of the window, away from the exhaust manifold.

From the above, you can figure out if your spark rod needs to be "longer" or "shorter".

Look at these:
https://www.snydersantiqueauto.com/product.htm?pid=979546&cat=41663

With it you can cut your rod and insert this to make it longer. If you need it to be much shorter, you cut a small length of the rod out and then install the coupler and it will be shorter. Before tightening the 2 set screws, you can adjust the rod length to be exactly what you need.

I hope that helps.
.
 
A good read on timing aspects is Vince Falter's Fordgarage.com page.

https://www.fordgarage.com/pages/bdistributoradvance.htm

Notable was Vince's observation that the Model A has in its handle, about twice the timing variance you actually need. When timed correctly, you have the lever at the bottom at speed and when you idle, you back off the lever about half way.

Fully up is reserved for starting - to prevent the damaging "backfire" which can bend your starter shaft.

The Model B uses centrifugal timing, and spans only that 20 degree range - but does it automatically. Ford perhaps had developed enough confidence in the 5/8" diameter Bendix shaft?

Joe K
 
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in the ford service bulletins there is a paragraph re. the movement of the spark control lever not extending to the max of the window on the cap. it says to bend the ball end of the control lever.

this may or may not pertain to your issue but take a look in your service bulletins book if you have one. i don't have the book here rite now to show you.
 
What Joe meant to say is that the Model B starts with the timing slightly advanced. So:

"Ford perhaps had developed enough confidence in the 5/8" diameter Bendix shaft?"
 
Remove the distributor cap and body , now see if you have the 11 clicks , if you do check the distributor body window as it maybe to small , if it’s the same 5 clicks you need to investigate why the upper plate in the distributor isn’t moving the proper distance . Maybe someone operating the lever while you watch what is happening ?
 
Hello again, Mr Cannon, thank you on the correction on the steering column on 28 -29 models, I was unaware of the 7 tooth difference.Learn something new every day,if lucky.
 
Bob Bidonde said:
Here is some trivia for you. The range of spark advance at the crankshaft is 40 degrees. So each notch in the lever quadrant advances the spark approximately 3.6 Degrees of crankshaft rotation before a piston reaches TDC on the Compression Stroke (40/11=3.6 Degrees).
Click to expand...

Great info. Thanks for posting.
 
The instruction book that Ford put out for model A cars doesn't mention going to full advance unless a person want to run at high speed. It lists average driving at half way on the quadrant. I admit this is vague as far as operation of the spark control is concerned but full advance all the time while driving may cause the engine to run hotter than normal. I would suggest that above half way should be done in increments depending on road speed and load.

The way timing is adjusted, it starts with the points being adjusted to just start to open at max retard with the cam wrench and then tighten the screw that holds the cam. From there on, advance is how far the lever will move on the quadrant. I don't know if it will hit the quadrant stop before it hits the window in the cap or not but the important thing is that it can reach full retard for starting. A person would have to install a timing pointer and degree the pulley if they want to check the timing with a light. The low compression side valve engines don't need a lot of crankshaft advance to run well.
 
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