timing headaches
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
timing headaches
My timing seems like its never really been right.I bought it with a mech tach drive hei dist in it.It ran with number one being at where number eight should be on the cap.when I tried to run the spark plug wires with #1 at 5.30 it would spit back thru carb that being where it supposed to be.I could get it run pretty decent like that.Long story short I sent back a new msd dist and box in favor of a DUI dist.I pulled the old one and put in the new both ways.With #1 at 5.30 and 5.00 where it was before and the darn thing still spits back thru the carb.I don't think my balancer has slipped.I can bring it up to top dead center comp stroke and the timing mark lines up with the 0 mark on the tab.Both rocker arms are have play on #1,cyl so I know its on the compression stroke.I didn't rebuild the eng po did it.If the timing chain skipped a tooth would it cause the symptoms I'm experiencing.The thing has,been running with the dist set that way for a while.I figured since I'm swapping out dist and I'm having problems getting timed right I might as well get it ironed out.I doubled check the firing order and I don't have any wires crossed.Never ran into this with any car I have ever owned.
Last edited by rugerm44; Mar 21, 2012 at 06:21 PM.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 5,262
Likes: 283
From: I'd like to propose a toast... to internal combustion and wind in the face.
So where is your rotor pointing when you have the engine at TDC on the compression stroke? If the number 1 spark plug wire is located anywhere else on the distributor cap then there is your problem.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 6,937
Likes: 848
From: melbourne florida
2023 C3 of the Year Finalist - Modified
if its at top dead center where the rotor is pointing is where you line up number 1. you can pull the distributor and re set the rotor position where you want it. check firing order. drivers side front to rear 1357 . passenger side f to r 2468 . firing order 18436572
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 8,117
Likes: 104
From: charlotte north carolina
when i installed a hei mechanical drive dist, i had to move all the wires on the dist cap one position over to set the timing-i'm sorry to say i can't remember which way though. i do remember a post some time ago by a knowledgeable member that explained the reason. so, if you're changing from a hei to a normal distributor, you may have to undo this move done by the po. if it's backfiring thru the carb, it's getting spark when the intake valve is open. that would make it seem as though it's too far advanced. try moving the wires clockwise (retard) one position.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,380
Likes: 6,390
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
The engine can be made to run "correctly" regardless of cap orientation and distributor clocking. What do you have your timing set to? Do you have 36 degrees total? Have you checked it? Simply dropping the distributor in with the balancer at TDC is no assurance that your timing is within 40 degrees of where it should be. Set total timing to 36 as outlined in my papers and then re-position the distributor if needed to get it "clocked" correctly if it's clocked badly after the 36 total has been set/verified.
Lars
Lars
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 801
Likes: 1
After sobering up I walked out there and had it fixed in 10 minutes.It was hot today here and I had a few too many cold ones.Thanks for all the replies.I really do appreciate it.Been working too much overtime here lately.I should have waited till I had a good nights sleep.After I got something to eat and took a brake it feel right in.Runs like top.I'm off for the next couple of days and its not supposed to rain Fri.Maybe I will get a chance to take it for spin.I dread this summer.Already 10 to 15 degs above normal here.
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Drifting
Joined: Jul 2002
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From: The only Corvettes in Highett Victoria
Tell us more!
After sobering up I walked out there and had it fixed in 10 minutes.It was hot today here and I had a few too many cold ones.Thanks for all the replies.I really do appreciate it.Been working too much overtime here lately.I should have waited till I had a good nights sleep.After I got something to eat and took a brake it feel right in.Runs like top.I'm off for the next couple of days and its not supposed to rain Fri.Maybe I will get a chance to take it for spin.I dread this summer.Already 10 to 15 degs above normal here.
Regards from Down Under.
aussiejohn