Engine Timing

[CatMan1]

I'm going through everything on this car and giving it a complete tune-up. This is a '28 Sport Coupe. I've had it for three years and I'm wondering....how often should it be necessary to check the timing? I know I haven't done it since I've owned it and I don't know when the previous owner did. Can these engines just get out of time....over time?

[Gene F]

It is unlikely. The only time I recheck mine is when I change the points. It's a gear to gear drive in the engine, with no chain to stretch. Biggest threat is likely the cam that drives the points in the distributor slipping.

[Bruce of MN]

The rubbing block on the points wears, so the gap should be checked periodically.

[CatMan1]

OK. I may or may not check it then. I might do it for the experience. I know we've found a couple things that the previous owner did that didn't make any sense.....

[JayJay]

Originally Posted by CatMan1

.....I know we've found a couple things that the previous owner did that didn't make any sense.....

The more I work on my '31 the more McGyvers I find. Or just plain head-scratchers. Of course, then next owner of any of my cars will probably complain about the same.

[700rpm]

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When I got my first A the old-timers told me this about timing: "set it and forget it." That didn’t mean don’t check for wear and care. Just don’t worry it.

[nkaminar]

If the car is new to you or if there has been any work on the car, then check the timing. First set the points gap to 0.020 when they are at the most open. Turn the engine over by hand with hand crank to get the points to the most open position. Then set the timing using the Ford method and not the wrench method. The points should just be opening with the ignition timing lever fully up. You can move the cam counter clockwise a little bit to check this because of backlash in the tabs and slots that drive the distributor.

If you do no further changes to the car then the timing will not have to be checked again. But wear in the points will change the gap which will change the timing. So check the gap as part of regular maintenance.

[Bob Bidonde]

Besides wear of the rubbing block on the ignition points that results in a point gap that is too small, wear of the camshaft timing gear affects the ignition timing. I suggest that you check the ignition timing with every tuneup.