Distribator off by one tooth - Pulley casting number

[40cpe]

Your distributor rotates clockwise, so picture #4 shows the rotor past (ATDC) #1 and the reason it doesn't run well set on the button. You rotated the drive gear CCW which put the rotor at before the #1 (BTDC). What you aren't showing here is that you rotated the distributor housing (and the distributor cap) counter clockwise to time the engine. This put the #1 terminal back in the same relation with the rotor as before the gear change. If the timing light pick-up is on #1 plug wire it can't pick up signals from #2 or #5 terminals on the cap. I have changed positions of the drive gear in order to get clearance on the vacuum can to adjust the timing but I always have to rotate the distributor body to compensate. It never changes the location of the TDC mark on the pulley.

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by 40cpe

Your distributor rotates clockwise, so picture #4 shows the rotor past (ATDC) #1 and the reason it doesn't run well set on the button. You rotated the drive gear CCW which put the rotor at before the #1 (BTDC). What you aren't showing here is that you rotated the distributor housing (and the distributor cap) counter clockwise to time the engine. This put the #1 terminal back in the same relation with the rotor as before the gear change. If the timing light pick-up is on #1 plug wire it can't pick up signals from #2 or #5 terminals on the cap. I have changed positions of the drive gear in order to get clearance on the vacuum can to adjust the timing but I always have to rotate the distributor body to compensate. It never changes the location of the TDC mark on the pulley.

40cpe,

When I rotated the distributor as far CCW as possible (stopped by the thermostat housing), the timing was set perfectly, when using the timing light. So I think I will leave it where it is, as I will always know, all I have to do is rotate the vacuum pod as far CCW, and the timing will be correctly.

Just dumb luck on my part. Thank you for your post.

[Merc Cruzer]

First, just a thank you all for your assistance.

I did get a chance to do a test run on Sunday. The car starts allot easier and quicker (one revolution). The engine seems noticeably quieter. Not sure if there is more power, if so it is not noticeable, but it does seem smother. Overall, I like that fact that I can now use the original timing mark in conjunction with my timing light, the original goal for this post.

Thanks again,

End post.

[Mart]

Can I see if I understand how all this went down..?

The car ran ok but you couldn't get the timing to align with the mark because the distributor body was restricted to only a few degrees movement and it couldn't go far enough to thet the timing on the marks.

You then retimed the distributor one tooth round, and was then able to get enough movement so the timing then did align with the timing mark on the pulley.

The car runs better now and quite rightly as the timing must have been off before.

You say it sounds quieter. If the timing was retarded it can make the exhaust note louder.

So the pulley hasn't slipped, it was right all along and now you have been able to align the timing with it it runs better than before.

Is that about it?

I remember watching your driving videos. It would be interesting to make another video to see if the exhaust note sounds crisper than before?? (just an idea).

Mart.

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by Mart

Can I see if I understand how all this went down..?

The car ran ok but you couldn't get the timing to align with the mark because the distributor body was restricted to only a few degrees movement and it couldn't go far enough to thet the timing on the marks.

You then retimed the distributor one tooth round, and was then able to get enough movement so the timing then did align with the timing mark on the pulley.

The car runs better now and quite rightly as the timing must have been off before.

You say it sounds quieter. If the timing was retarded it can make the exhaust note louder.

So the pulley hasn't slipped, it was right all along and now you have been able to align the timing with it it runs better than before.

Is that about it?

I remember watching your driving videos. It would be interesting to make another video to see if the exhaust note sounds crisper than before?? (just an idea).

Mart.

Mart,

You are close. I could get the timing mark to line up, and it ran, but not well at all. So I returned it to a position, that wound up being 1 1/2" advanced, off the timing mark.

Once I re-timed it one tooth CCW, I was able then to align the timing marks and it runs beautifully.

Once we get better weather (that may be a while) I will make a new video, to check out the exhaust note now.

Always good hearing from you.

Thanks again.

[40cpe]

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Mart, He said initially that the engine ran best with timing indicated about 1 1/2" advanced of the factory button. He used the zip tie method (your video) to determine TDC and it agreed with the 1 1/2" advanced mark. He was advised to lift the distributor and rotate the rotor 1 tooth CCW, which put the rotor well past (ATDC) the #1 terminal on the distributor cap. The picture of the distributor after the CCW rotation of the gear and re-timing showed the vacuum can rotated CCW and against the thermostat housing, which was needed for the terminal on the distributor cap to "catch up" with the rotor. I don't understand how rotating the rotor shaft CCW and then rotating the distributor housing CCW to catch up with it moved the TDC indication on the crank pulley and made it run well with the timing set on the factory button.

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by 40cpe

Mart, He said initially that the engine ran best with timing indicated about 1 1/2" advanced of the factory button. He used the zip tie method (your video) to determine TDC and it agreed with the 1 1/2" advanced mark. He was advised to lift the distributor and rotate the rotor 1 tooth CCW, which put the rotor well past (ATDC) the #1 terminal on the distributor cap. The picture of the distributor after the CCW rotation of the gear and re-timing showed the vacuum can rotated CCW and against the thermostat housing, which was needed for the terminal on the distributor cap to "catch up" with the rotor. I don't understand how rotating the rotor shaft CCW and then rotating the distributor housing CCW to catch up with it moved the TDC indication on the crank pulley and made it run well with the timing set on the factory button.

The confusion here seems to be with how I worded the statement I made as to the TDC aligning with the 1 1/2" off the timing mark on the pulley. That was incorrect. The zip tie method test "confirmed that the TDC was in fact with the timing mark on the pulley aligned with the timing pin on the front of the timing cover."

I apologize for the confusion.

[Merc Cruzer]

Originally Posted by Hoop

From your earlier post after suggestions that you use the cable tie method, you posted #31:

"Ok folks, I have to admit putting a foreign object into the cylinder, of a perfectly good engine would have not been my first choice. But here it is. Bottom line, the new TDC, is still 1 1/2" off the original pulley marker."


Now you admit:

"I was only able to confirm the TDC with the finger test. Finger in the plug hole and turn over the engine until it blows the finger out of the hole. Then line up the dot with the pointer."

Nice work confusing us.

The zip tie method test "confirmed that the TDC was in fact with the timing mark on the pulley aligned with the timing pin on the front of the timing cover."

I apologize for the confusion.

[Hoop]

No apology necessary.

Interesting thing about the "wrong TDC" location is that it had a really good possible explanation ... if it had been correct.

There's an old adage in problem solving that says the usual solution is the simplest one ... distributor installed wrong, but to do that we had to ignore your "new TDC."