Where's the Timing Pointer on my 318

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Reddartowner

Reddartowner

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I have a 318 engine of unknown vintage in my '68 Dart. I believe the timing pointer should be on the driver side of the engine, but I can't find marks on the timing cover or a timing tab. Can someone look at the photo I have attached and tell me if I'm missing the timing tab..? When I shine my timing light on the driver side of the balancer with the engine running, a mark is visible approximately between the bottom 2 timing cover bolts, so I'm sure the tab or mark belongs on that side.....
 

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Where there isn't a scale cast into the cover a sheet metal scale was bolted on.
Where a slant six radiator is installed with a V8 the water pump lower hose is moved to the right side and may be hiding a cast scale.
Which side it should be on depends on which balancer you have.
You could buy a timming tape instead of the OEM scale.
 
You can end up with someone putting a late model water pump (pass side outlet) on an an engine with an early timing cover (timing on pass side) and the timing tab will be down under the pump lower outlet, er actually inlet
 
68 timing marks are on the passenger side...as said..the inlet hose for the water pump might be in the way if some one installed a 70 and newer water pump...and radiator
 
My water pump outlet is on the passenger side, so I'll look under the outlet and see if I can find the marks. Incidentally, my radiator has the lower outlet on the driver side. I was going to change the radiator to make the hose outlets line up, but maybe I'll be changing the water pump instead if I find the timing marks...........
 
so I dont mean to steal this thread but if a timing tape was to be used instead of the metal tab, would I just set the motor so the #1 cylinder is a TDC then put a mark on the cover and use that as a pointer? cause I'm having the same problem. I lost the tab at some point during my build. thanks -Kory
 
67Dart273 said:
Basically, yes, but you DO need to accurately establish TDC. A Piston stop is the accepted way:

http://www.jerrybramlett.net/images/pic_installation.jpg
Click to expand...

This is exactly what I did. I made an arbitrary mark on the timing cover near where I thought TDC should line up. Then, using my piston stop, determined whether the existing mark on the balancer was correct. It actually turned out to be off a few degrees. After re-marking TDC on the balancer, I again used the piston stop to determine where the mark on the timing cover neded to be. I then marked that point on the cover and aligned the TDC mark on the balancer with that mark. I then fabricated a pointer out of aluminum an epoxied it to the cover so it lined up with the mark on the balancer. And yes, I put a timing tape on the balancer. Oh yeah, I DID replace my water pump so the inlet lined up with the radiator on the driver's side and put the pointer on the passenger side, which is where the mark on the balancer stopped when I used the piston stop.
 
Im gonna go get a timing tape today, but I haven't set my timing in so long, well the proper way at least, that I dont remember if I am suppose to unhook my vacuum advance or leave it plugged in. and what should my timing be set to at idle? i hear a lot of guys saying around 15-16 BTDC is this correct? and last, as long as my initial timing is set correct will it matter what my timing is when it all comes in? Timing is kinda my downfall, I have always set my engine pretty much by ear, but I think it would be best to do it right. Thanks for your help -Kory
 
My initial timing happens to be set at 10 BTDC, with the vac line disconnected. Up to a point, more is better, so if you can run 15 BTDC initial and get full advance without pinging under load then go for it.
 
Most distributors will require you to limit mechanical advance if you set initial at 15+ degrees. Many distributors have as much as 28* in them, so doing the math 15 + 28 = 43, too much for most engines.

You MUST find the advance in the distributor by revving the engine up and noting how much it changes from base to peak, more math...

Takes a little time and effort, however, the benefits of having a solid initial timing baseline are much better than other methods.
 
Just because it is not pinging does not mean that is where you make the most power. Sometimes you can loose a lot of power having it too advanced and it won't ping. Set your total timing up properly.
 
so what should the total be? and if I do like what crackedback said and set my initial at 15 and my overall gets into the 40's how can I change my total without changing my initial? Thanks -Kory
 
OK all, if you guys are going to start changing water pumps to move the neck from one side to the other, you gotta know what kind of can of worms you are opening. It isn't as easy as just swapping pumps, as the alternator and power steering brackets are different from the early style pump to the later style, as are the water pump housings themselves. Heck, I believe that even the pulleys line up different unless you have an A/C lower crank pulley to run the inner groove on the alternator pulley. You will probably find yourself using the double groove alternator pulley and running the belt on the outside groove.

Facilitating this change will result in a complete change of bracketry also!! Just sayin'!! Good luck y'all, Geof
 
273's had a clean cover, bolt on tab @ 10:00. TDC was at 10:00 facing the motor, 318's after 69(?) timing moved from passenger side with scale to driver side 02:00 with scale. Get #1 to TDC with piston stop and mark your own. pointer and tape is good. 9 out of 10 you see are the newer style TDC at 02:00. The pass side scale may be a year or 2 only run?
 
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