Setting timing ? First time doing it.

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Mako21

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Hello, I was able to get an old Sears timing gun off Craigslist from someone not too far.
On another post in this section I was advised to check my timing. The fender sticker on my car 1976 Dart says 2 degrees BTC.
I’m watched videos and read on how to do it. What confuses me is do I line up the notch on the crank pulley with the tab that says Before and 2?

When I checked it now, the notch is lined up to zero(Between After and Before).
I tried to twist the distributor to retard it to 2 Before, however the distributor won’t twist anymore. It will only twist in one direction, thus advancing.
 
Luckily, that is correct! BTC means before top center. at zero you have no advance. at 2 before you'll have 2 degrees of advance.
Most of us run more than that like over 10... in any case if you can't retard it to after zero that's fine because you won't need to unless your spraying nitrous!
 
It will only advance or retard? There should be two screws/bolts on the bottom of the distributor (facing up when installed in the car) that will allow you more movement of the distributor. Before you remove your distributor to adjust the bottom plate rotate your crank so the notch is lined up at TDC. The rotor (take cap off) should be pointing to #1. If you have my memory take a picture of how it sits so you have something to reference when you put the distributor back in. The gear is helical so it don’t drop straight down, it will rotate a little as it drops in.
 
It will only advance or retard? There should be two screws/bolts on the bottom of the distributor (facing up when installed in the car) that will allow you more movement of the distributor. Before you remove your distributor to adjust the bottom plate rotate your crank so the notch is lined up at TDC. The rotor (take cap off) should be pointing to #1. If you have my memory take a picture of how it sits so you have something to reference when you put the distributor back in. The gear is helical so it don’t drop straight down, it will rotate a little as it drops in.
2 ? There's only 1 hold down bolt. Let's find out what the original poster is working with before we tell him how. May be he has a slant 6 or a 440.
 
Get a timing tape for your balancer if it isn't clearly marked. Mark the balencer at 2 degrees BTDC and at 38 degrees. Shoot the light and make the 2 degree mark line up with the center mark on the pointer.

After that, lock the dizzy down and rev it up. 3-4k RPM and note the total advance. It should be 38 degrees. If it isn't, let us know what you see.

Is it a dial back timing light? If so, turn it to zero.
 
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2 ? There's only 1 hold down bolt. Let's find out what the original poster is working with before we tell him how. May be he has a slant 6 or a 440.
Mike; the first thing I checked was what forum we're in, and I see slanty; and you probably know that the slanty hold-down "tab" is bolted to the underside of the D and is a slotted strap; hence the second bolt.
 
Mike; the first thing I checked was what forum we're in, and I see slanty; and you probably know that the slanty hold-down "tab" is bolted to the underside of the D and is a slotted strap; hence the second bolt.
I saw the slant forum. I bet I move a half dozen threads a day between the sites because members put them in the wrong place. I try to not take anything for granted here. Especially new members.
 
To MAKO

Your idle timing is relatively meaningless after all these years. The important thing is to get your powertiming right, and let the idle timing be what it will be.
But before you get into it;
pop the cap and make sure the rotor actually moves back and forth, so you know the flyweights are able to move.
For a standard timing light, you will need to index your balancer to true TDC, and calibrate the timing ring out to 40 degrees. This is a two-part deal
1) you verify that the index mark on your balancer is truly at TDC, and if not;then you have to make a new mark, and
2) after that, the best idea is to install a timing tape and carry on like roccodart says in post #5

Edit, I guess, in your case, see post #11,
 
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He doesn't need timing tape for a stock slant six. Besides, there's no room for tape since the inertia ring is JUST a pulley with no flat for the tape to stick to. Not that it would stick anyway, because timing tape nowadays is cheesy bullshit. I have my stock 170 set at 12* BTDC and it runs fantastic. The reason for the 2* horse crap is so it will pass emissions testing. Since the timing is so retarded, it's not burning all the fuel it could and not producing a lot of hydrocarbons at the tail pipe. I tried mine at 15* and it ran a little rough, so I backed it off to 12* and it runs great. Try to put all the initial timing in it you can because it will run good, start better and get better mileage. No need to worry about total timing, because a slant six has such low compression detonation or spark knock will never be an issue. So try setting it about 12*. Once you get it there, you might need to idle it back down, but that's easy.
 
He doesn't need timing tape for a stock slant six. Besides, there's no room for tape since the inertia ring is JUST a pulley with no flat for the tape to stick to. Not that it would stick anyway, because timing tape nowadays is cheesy bullshit. I have my stock 170 set at 12* BTDC and it runs fantastic. The reason for the 2* horse crap is so it will pass emissions testing. Since the timing is so retarded, it's not burning all the fuel it could and not producing a lot of hydrocarbons at the tail pipe. I tried mine at 15* and it ran a little rough, so I backed it off to 12* and it runs great. Try to put all the initial timing in it you can because it will run good, start better and get better mileage. No need to worry about total timing, because a slant six has such low compression detonation or spark knock will never be an issue. So try setting it about 12*. Once you get it there, you might need to idle it back down, but that's easy.


This guy has never set timing before. Lets cover timing 101 first.

TIming tape isn't cheesy bs. The work very well. Especially for those who can't see well.
 
To MAKO

Your idle timing is relatively meaningless after all these years.

Oh really? This is a stone stock slant six we're talking about. Idle timing is ALL he needs to worry about.
 
This guy has never set timing before. Lets cover timing 101 first.

TIming tape isn't cheesy bs. The work very well. Especially for those who can't see well.

Ok, then let's cover 101. TIMING TAPE WILL NOT WORK ON A SLANT SIX BALANCER. PERIOD. It's just a pulley. There is NO FLAT for the tape to stick to. GET IT?

You ain't stickin timing tape to THIS. GET IT?

225 BALANCER.jpg
 
This guy has never set timing before. Lets cover timing 101 first.

TIming tape isn't cheesy bs. The work very well. Especially for those who can't see well.
Good for seeing total timing without a advance light. If you need to see total. Probably more accurate.
 
Good for seeing total timing without a advance light. If you need to see total. Probably more accurate.


I run 26 inital, I have two marks on my MSD tape. Much easier to see than the oxidized black Fluidampr
 
I run 26 inital, I have two marks on my MSD tape. Much easier to see than the oxidized black Fluidampr
Handy for that. Most stock balancers are marked to 10° and any advance higher than that is a guess. I have a digital advance timing light. You can usually see 0° on the balancer and timing tab. 15° or more may be not unless you dial it back. Then there's the age old discussion about how accurate the advance timing lights are. The digitals are probably pretty close. Probably closer than most 50 year old harmonic balancers. :lol:
 
I know his slant is bone stock but with MSD boxes you can't use dial back

I actually ended up buying an MSD light from my engine builder. I really like it.
 
I know his slant is bone stock but with MSD boxes you can't use dial back

I actually ended up buying an MSD light from my engine builder. I really like it.
I used to run in to that on the tool truck. Our old Actron lights would work with multispark. Too bad MSD doesn't have a simple switch to shut off the multispark so it doesn't confuse the timing light circuitry.
 
Here is what you need for "timing tape" since you cannot put timing tape on a slant six.

How to - Hillbilly Timing Tape

Real simple to to and we can help walk you through it if you need us to.
 
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