You're getting off to a really bad start here. Don't backpeddle. It speaks poorly of you.

you said ...
Do you see the word "groove" in there a single time? No? Neither do I. So don't blame us for you wording a question in a humorously inaccurate way.

 

We where having a little fun with you earlier but as you stated yourself you do not know much about engines. Setting the timing is not brain surgery but it ain't falling off a bike either, you need to have a basic concept of how an eng works to better understand what you are trying to do by 'setting the timing'. Get the basics then check back for greater detail.

Do stick around, there is wealth of knowledge here.

 

As you've discovered Chilton's isn't a very good reference. Haynes is better but you might think about ordering shop manual for your year.
It's a great technical source as is the wealth of info available here. Don't be discouraged...

 

Backpeddling?

The manual says to look for a groove in the vibration damper. If I don't know where the vibration damper is, how do I find the groove IN THE VIBRATRION DAMPER? My wording was not inaccurate. I needed to find the vibration damper do I could find the groove in it.

But thanks to everyone else for the help, I realize Newbs can be a bother sometime, but you gotta start somewhere.

 

Yeah, the Chilton's manual seems a little sparse in the descriptions at times.

 

Well, the chilton manual probably assumes that when you want to work on your car you at least know what a damper is or that it is connected to the crank and therefore turns at crank speed when the engine is running. That's why the groove is there, so you can dial in the ignition so it fires at the proper crank degree position (when the groove is on the timing pointer)

As I said, go to howstuffworks.com it's a great site to learn some basic stuff.

 

Errr ... ok ... I stand corrected. You really were looking for the damper! Thing is, if you're looking at the tab, then you're looking at the damper too. I mean, it's impossible not to see it. That was the source of our amusement. Surely you understand that now.

Rule #1 of the CF, don't take anything personal.

 

before you know it you'll be one of us.

welcome to hell, I mean the CF

 

LOL I am still laughing GEEEEEEZZZZ .

But really and honestly other than the books that were previously mentioned which would be money well spent. I would also see if there are any corvette clubs near by that have a few gear heads or even a few fellow club members here that might be near you that work on there car. There is nothing like being there getting greasy and a good hand with a wrench to show you. And it is not all by sight. You will learn sounds along with smells and before long you will know what that or this sound is or you can also smell how the car runs if it is lean or rich I could go on and on but it is just spending time with the car.

 

Yeah, I can see how that is funny now that I know where it is. No hard feelings...

Thanks guys!

 

Dude, don't feel bad. I've worked around many a harmonic balancer in my life but never a damper until I came to this forum. Sometimes it's just where you grew up. Ya'll know what I mean.

 

74Thrasher you are a good sport. Coming full circle with all this, there is I'm sure a compelling reason you are attempting to check the timing? What problem is it you are attempting to investigate/resolve which led you to the Chiltons timing section?

If it was just curiosity on how it all works that is a good answer as well?

Cheers
-Andre

 

 

Like the others said, don't take how we reacted too personally. The fact is, these are some of the mildest guys you're going to find in online car discussion forums. You kind of caught us a little off guard, and I think a couple of us were wondering if you might be trolling (we do get trolls here every once in a while looking to jerk us around). Obviously, you're serious about your car, though, and that makes you one of us. Don't hesitate to ask questions here--you'll get lots of help.

Oh, and Twin T--WTF does "stab the dizzy" mean?

JB

 

Hey, welcome to the forum, hopefully you got it all figured out, like the others said itd be worth your while to get a book or even borrow one from your local library about small block chevy engines, i learned most of the stuff i know from my brother and just hands on experience, but i sure could have saved a lot of time and trouble if i had read up beforehand, and dont take anyone here too seriously were all just trying to have a good time

 

 

I had to reflect on that one myself for a moment. I would have to speculate TwinTurbo means "re-insert the distributor". But then what the %$# do I know? I just found Out my car has headlight sprayers and I have owned it for 7 years!

-A

 

Actually, I have a backfire/misfire that I am trying to fix. I changed the spark plugs already, and checked the spark plug wires (as best I can anyways) and didn't find anything. Chilton's said check timing for an intake backfire, which is what I think it is (when I get on the gas, little puffs of smoke come out of the carb.) So I'm basically just going by the manual since I don't know any mechanics and I don't want to pay to have it fixed. <-- That's basically me working on the car.

 

I think you're on the right track--does sound like it might be a timing problem. When you say backfire/misfire, do you mean it that it has a miss or an uneven idle? Crappy idling can also be vacuum leaks or carb problems. So far as checking the plug wires, try running the engine in the dark--if the wires are shot, you can probably see the arcing if it's dark enough.

As someone else mentioned, you need a timing light. Follow the directions that come with the light and determine where your timing is set, then adjust to the spec on the sticker inside your engine bay by loosening the hold down bolt on your distributor and turning it until you get the right number of degrees of advance (this is a hell of a lot easier to do with a buddy turning the distributor while you handle the timing light).

If that don't do it, come back and tell us. We'll guide you through checking for vacuum leaks at the carb, intake, and hoses. Then go on to the next thing. And the next thing after that. It may take a while.

[EDIT]This also occurs to me: when you hold your hand over the carb at idle, do you feel air puffing up through it? If so, you could be dealing with burned valves. If so, it's not the end of the world, but you do need a valve job.

JB

 

Thing is the timing won't change itself unless it is something related to the springs in the distributor (advance weights sticking) or a problem with the vacuum advance which would be vacuum/carburation related. There is of course the distinct possibility that someone messed with it and screwed up the timing before you got the car presuming the car is suffering from a "pre-existing condition.

What I'm getting at here is if the car didn't have this problem when you got it changing the timing won't fix it. You are likely looking at a maintenance issue first. You need to give as complete a description of the problem itself and any other noteable characteristics it may be doing at times such as hard starting, dieseling, wandering or inconsistant idle, etc. When the problem happens (circumstances) high, low RPM's, load, hot, cold, driving East etc? How long has it been happening and is it worsening? Number of miles since last maintenance and what was done? Keep focused on the basics before you start tampering with the timing without the proper tools equipment and guidance. Does the car have a points setup and have you checked the cap, rotor, coil connections, fuel filter etc.

Ultimately we need to isolate the major cause of the problem to being electrical/ignition related, carburation/fuel related or mechanical/valves.

It could be any of the above at this point, just have to isolate the problem step at a time. "A problem well described is a problem half resolved!"

Cheers
-Andre