strange timing issue

slantsixdan said

There is a second bolt under the distributor. It holds the hold-down plate to the distributor body. Use the correct wrench to loosen this bolt with the distributor installed, or remove the distributor and use a regular wrench. Move the plate relative to the distributor to get the additional movement you need to include a range of about 2° BTDC to 12° BTDC within the hold down plate's slot where it attaches to the block.

As for your rotor-to-cap phasing: the distributor might have been installed incorrectly (governor cam installed backwards, distributor drive pinion improperly phased). If your timing mark is at verified-TDC with both frontmost valves closed, your cam timing probably isn't off by far, if at all.

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Hi Dan,

The bottom plate is already adjusted as far 'advanced' as it will go. This plus full rotation of the distributor to the left (until it hits the block) with the rotor pointing to #1 was the spot I started in, and was still too retarded. As it is now I have enough range to put it way too retarded and way too advanced, so it all seems 'right', except for the fact that it started out pointing at the next plug instead of #1. Glad to know the cam timing is probably correct. It is possible I put the distributor together wrong somehow. I did take it apart and cleaned it up and put it back together, so I could check what was in it. It runs great as it is, or at least it seems to run great to me. I'll take it out and go over it again.