My 1500 Timing Tab Indicator Fell Off The Pulley :(

[Sam]

Can anybody tell me if the 1500 TDC timing mark on the pulley is actually supposed to be at 0 degrees (ie vertically up)?

 

 

This will save me a little time sorting out the distributor (since i pulled it to replace with electronic)

 

PS if you want to get your timing cover chromed (and who doesn't, right?), do check that the tab is stuck tight afterwards...mine obviously wasn't.

 

Cheers!

 

[esxefi]

no, the tab is originally fitted slightly past the tdc position something like 8-10 degrees, so I would expect the large pulley tdc mark to align with that to be the true tdc position.

if you are fitting electronic ignition you will have to retime anyway,looks like you will have to do the method of incremental advance until pinking occurs then back off slightly until it disappears,or quick visit to a dyno which is going to be the best option imo.

[JohnD]

There must surely be some witness mark on the cover of where the indicator was?

Either in the coating or as marks on the cover?

 

I think they were spot welded on - there might even be colour change visible on the inside - of, that'll be chromed too.

John

[Sam]

Thanks gents.

 

 

 I discovered after about a day of trial and error that elec ignition modules cannot be statically timed!  

 

The spot weld mark was too large to accurately locate the tab. I managed to rig up a tape measure across the pulley and calculate degrees as millimeters. Not super accurate but it got me running. 

Finding exact TDC has been the trickiest as the piston stop method really needs a degree wheel attached to the pulley to be accurate. There's so little space in the front of my engine bay that I have to turn it with a spanner (1/6 at a time!). 

 

..Off to the dyno...    

 I discovered after about a day of trial and error that elec ignition modules cannot be statically timed  

[oldtuckunder]

Hi good luck at the dyno, on my last trip I was shown an amazing spot on way to get tdc without using stops, dial gauges etc. Take a compression tester hose, remove gauge, screw into cylinder get a small pot of washing up liquid/water put a blob on the end of the house, slowly rotate engine, bubble will form and burst, just keep replenishing fluid drop at top of pipe, the closer you get to tdc the slower you get watching the bubble, as soon as the bubblestarts deflating you have just passed tdc, you can then rock it and get it smack on, claimed to be more accurate than a dial gauge. Alan

[Nick Jones]

That's a good one - might try that with the Spit - will be setting the ignition timing shortly........

 

Nick