Hard to read timing marks...Any tips?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Hard to read timing marks...Any tips?
Getting more and more done on my poor '86 coupe that's been sitting for years. Finishing up a tune-up with setting my timing, and the marks are very hard to read! I've seen some posts about this, but need some additional help. I cleaned up the tab some, and can pretty much make those out...but having trouble with the others...on the balancer or crankshaft pulley. Is there a secret to cleaning those to make them more legible? How do you get it in position to clean it up? Guessing there might be a better way than starting it over and over again, and crossing your fingers that'll it'll be in the right place on top. Please chime in with any tips. Thanks!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 2,216
Likes: 113
From: Michigan
Prob time for a new one if it's tore down(especially if the rubber inner ring is racked and crumbling), they aren't much for stock replacement. Still there is always timing tape(can come off) or a cover. I like to use a cover on stock balancers so I can easily see 90 deg marks for the procedure that I use to lash valves, still that's almost the cost of a new one and you can make your own marks if you really want. Also the cover will never turn like the outer ring and you can use it to check for turn/movement.
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 550
From: Mission Viejo CA
Just wipe the outside surface if the harmonic damper that you can see. Use a little solvent if necessary, but don't use so much that it gets on the rubber ring in the damper. If the timing mark (actually a slot) doesn't show up, crank the engine a little bit, and wipe again, until you find the slot. Then put some white paint or some paper error correction fluid in the slot.
Safety Car
Joined: Aug 2013
Posts: 4,427
Likes: 604
From: Minneapolis Mn
Just wipe the outside surface if the harmonic damper that you can see. Use a little solvent if necessary, but don't use so much that it gets on the rubber ring in the damper. If the timing mark (actually a slot) doesn't show up, crank the engine a little bit, and wipe again, until you find the slot. Then put some white paint or some paper error correction fluid in the slot.
Clean it up well. Put some masking tape along the sides of the timing mark and use one of the white paint sticks to fill in the timing mark. Works well and lasts based on my experience.
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 11,470
Likes: 764
mine was in pretty good shape - I did clean it a and finish w/ some paint detail. of course, my engine was in a state of teardown/rebuild when I did this....
Last edited by Joe C; Jul 15, 2016 at 07:12 AM.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Prob time for a new one if it's tore down(especially if the rubber inner ring is racked and crumbling), they aren't much for stock replacement. Still there is always timing tape(can come off) or a cover. I like to use a cover on stock balancers so I can easily see 90 deg marks for the procedure that I use to lash valves, still that's almost the cost of a new one and you can make your own marks if you really want. Also the cover will never turn like the outer ring and you can use it to check for turn/movement.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Just wipe the outside surface if the harmonic damper that you can see. Use a little solvent if necessary, but don't use so much that it gets on the rubber ring in the damper. If the timing mark (actually a slot) doesn't show up, crank the engine a little bit, and wipe again, until you find the slot. Then put some white paint or some paper error correction fluid in the slot.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Thanks for the tips! I'll give it another shot. It got late yesterday. Might just need a fresh day. Anyone have any pics of the marks on the balancer?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Looks good! Thanks...Is that little dent on the balancer the mark I am looking for? If not, have any pics of that? Thanks again!
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
I used brake cleaner too! Worked great on the tab. Need to hunt for that little indentation on the balancer. Hope I have that right. Have any pics of the indentation? My eyesight isn't what it used to be, so that's been a bit of a hindrance. Thank you!
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2004
Posts: 3,953
Likes: 550
From: Mission Viejo CA
Easier: No tape needed. White paint in the slot, then wipe the paint off the exterior of the damper. The paint won't get wiped out of the slot.
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Apr 2007
Posts: 1,003
Likes: 13
Follow-up
Had an hour or so before dark tonight, and got this done! Used some spray paint, sprayed into a bottle. A bit thin, but all I had on-hand. Was able to read it just fine, and it was right on the mark! Thanks for all that posted! Another one I can check off...