The Ford Barn

billybronco1 · 10-06-2014, 10:10 AM

I did not like the looks of the rod that runs from the distributor to the steering column, it is all bent so I looked at other engines and every one of them is straight. So I straighten mine out and noticed this must have been an adjustment because if I put the handle all the way down there is a gap on the distributor with remaining room to advance the timing more, maybe 1/8". What do you think is going on here? Is this normal? I have not attempted to adjust the timing yet.

marc hildebrant · 10-06-2014, 10:26 AM

You can rotate the steering column some to make the spark and throttle rods work correct. Just loosen the clamp and turn some (not much).

Marc

BILL WILLIAMSON · 10-06-2014, 12:57 PM

If necessary, it's easy to cut & weld the rod to the proper length.
Bill W.

ericr · 10-06-2014, 06:33 PM

older repro versions of it had incorrect lengths

Skibb · 10-06-2014, 07:05 PM

Ericr, newer ones too....

apbright · 10-07-2014, 01:00 AM

Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Skibb

Ericr, newer ones too....

Agree, the newer ones I recently obtained from Snyder's I found to be quite wrong. I was told by one fellow that the control arms (on the steering column, part A-3541) should be bent to correct for this, instead of bending the control linkages/rods, which presumably would be less ugly. Mostly, I was just happy to learn that I wasn't a total blubbering idiot for finding the control rod lengths to be wrong. For now, I have used those 'brass knuckles' adjusters to get the length correct. Eventually, I hope learn how to take Bill Williamson's advice (yes, I'm that new to this) to weld them to the correct length.

Tom Wesenberg · 10-07-2014, 06:44 AM

Bert's in Denver probably has a good original spark control rod. 800-321-1931

harleytoprock · 10-07-2014, 10:07 AM

My Snyder's repro timing rod is also too long. Cutting and welding seems like the best cure since I'd have to rotate the steering column way too much to correct. The repro rod also measures longer compared to the corroded one that was on the car.

hardtimes · 10-07-2014, 02:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billybronco1

I did not like the looks of the rod that runs from the distributor to the steering column, it is all bent so I looked at other engines and every one of them is straight. So I straighten mine out and noticed this must have been an adjustment because if I put the handle all the way down there is a gap on the distributor with remaining room to advance the timing more, maybe 1/8". What do you think is going on here? Is this normal? I have not attempted to adjust the timing yet.

Hey billy,
Unless you are going for points car, yes you can use it as an adjustment ..I do

!
Or you can loosen the steer column, and adjust, which I've also done. Not worth the trouble to me.
Or you can cut/weld to length, if you have a welder setup. Choice is good !

billybronco1 · 10-09-2014, 04:19 PM

Solution was turn the steering column slightly now my rod is straight and I have full spark advance, thanks for your help.

10-06-2014, 10:10 AM	#1
billybronco1 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: MA Posts: 570	Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent I did not like the looks of the rod that runs from the distributor to the steering column, it is all bent so I looked at other engines and every one of them is straight. So I straighten mine out and noticed this must have been an adjustment because if I put the handle all the way down there is a gap on the distributor with remaining room to advance the timing more, maybe 1/8". What do you think is going on here? Is this normal? I have not attempted to adjust the timing yet.

10-06-2014, 10:26 AM	#2
marc hildebrant Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Cape Cod Posts: 1,128	Re: Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent You can rotate the steering column some to make the spark and throttle rods work correct. Just loosen the clamp and turn some (not much). Marc

10-06-2014, 12:57 PM	#3
BILL WILLIAMSON Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: FRESNO, CA Posts: 12,560	Re: Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent If necessary, it's easy to cut & weld the rod to the proper length. Bill W. __________________ "THE ASSISTANT GURU OF STUFF"

10-06-2014, 06:33 PM	#4
ericr Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2012 Posts: 1,542	Re: Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent older repro versions of it had incorrect lengths

10-06-2014, 07:05 PM	#5
Skibb Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Jupiter, FL Posts: 536	Re: Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent Ericr, newer ones too....

10-07-2014, 06:44 AM	#7
Tom Wesenberg Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Mpls, MN Posts: 27,582	Re: Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent Bert's in Denver probably has a good original spark control rod. 800-321-1931

10-07-2014, 10:07 AM	#8
harleytoprock Senior Member Join Date: Aug 2014 Posts: 438	Re: Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent My Snyder's repro timing rod is also too long. Cutting and welding seems like the best cure since I'd have to rotate the steering column way too much to correct. The repro rod also measures longer compared to the corroded one that was on the car.

10-09-2014, 04:19 PM	#10
billybronco1 Senior Member Join Date: Dec 2012 Location: MA Posts: 570	Re: Manual timing advance rod question - mine is all bent Solution was turn the steering column slightly now my rod is straight and I have full spark advance, thanks for your help.