Timing chain, distributor or wires? Video inside.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,352
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
Timing chain, distributor or wires? Video inside.
My timing mark jumps around so like a good CF member I searched and searched and searched.
3 reasons:
1. Too much Distrbutor end play. I reshimmed it to .001".
2. Loose distributor breaker plate....clueless
3. Slack timing chain
I installed new points today, fired it up and set the dwell to ~30. It fluctuates when I rev the engine from say 29.-30.2 but no more tham .4 max. My timing mark is still all over the place. I have no vacuum leaks.
About 6 months ago I had the same probelm and reshimmed the distributor from .035 to .007 and re-checked the timing....it was dead on with NO fluctuations. Because the mark didnt flucuate I have no reason to believe it could be the timing chain. Since then the only thing I've done is install new MSD 8.8 custom cut wires.
Is it possible my wires are causing this?
Here's a vid of the timing slack. I pressed on the breaker to take up the 'flex'...paused then pushed.
3 reasons:
1. Too much Distrbutor end play. I reshimmed it to .001".
2. Loose distributor breaker plate....clueless
3. Slack timing chain
I installed new points today, fired it up and set the dwell to ~30. It fluctuates when I rev the engine from say 29.-30.2 but no more tham .4 max. My timing mark is still all over the place. I have no vacuum leaks.
About 6 months ago I had the same probelm and reshimmed the distributor from .035 to .007 and re-checked the timing....it was dead on with NO fluctuations. Because the mark didnt flucuate I have no reason to believe it could be the timing chain. Since then the only thing I've done is install new MSD 8.8 custom cut wires.
Is it possible my wires are causing this?
Here's a vid of the timing slack. I pressed on the breaker to take up the 'flex'...paused then pushed.
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,352
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
Thread Starter
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 19,352
Likes: 654
From: Tampa, Florida
I ruled out everything that had to do with the balancer/timing chain based on the fact that my timing marks were dead solid not to long ago after fixing them.
Without getting into all the details I bought new el cheapo $22 plug wires and the timing was still all over the place. For some strange reason I decided to try my other timing light, an inexpensive regular 'ole Actron.
It was light rubbing a genie bottle, seeing a shooting star and having a lightening bolt come down from the heavens all at the same time.
Fixed.
Bad F'in timing light. Expensive sucker to....one of those digital Actron rpm, dial back ones. Last time around when I was tuning 'er up I burned the plug wire wire on the exhaust manifold so I'll assume thats why it doesnt work right.
Anyone want a timing light real cheap?
Jim
Without getting into all the details I bought new el cheapo $22 plug wires and the timing was still all over the place. For some strange reason I decided to try my other timing light, an inexpensive regular 'ole Actron.
It was light rubbing a genie bottle, seeing a shooting star and having a lightening bolt come down from the heavens all at the same time.
Fixed.
Bad F'in timing light. Expensive sucker to....one of those digital Actron rpm, dial back ones. Last time around when I was tuning 'er up I burned the plug wire wire on the exhaust manifold so I'll assume thats why it doesnt work right.
Anyone want a timing light real cheap?
Jim
