Dennis Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 We are trying to time the P23 engine in our 1940 Dodge. There are no timing marks on the pulley. We have checked with a magnifying glass and a bright light. I understand there is a way to time the engine using a vacuum gauge. Can someone explain how this is done? This P23 engine has a electric vacuum advance mounted in the manifold. The wire from the vacuum unit isn't connected to anything and I don't have a wiring diagram. Can someone tell me where to connect the wire? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) Dennis said: The wire from the vacuum unit isn't connected to anything and I don't have a wiring diagram. Can someone tell me where to connect the wire? I'm lost as to what wire could be on the vacuum unit mounted to the manifold..... Edited September 30, 2018 by Plymouthy Adams Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 I would recommend you get a degree and piston stop....(use this in #6 piston acess hole) and establish TDC..mark this to the pointer or establish a pointer and mark as TDC and then you can mark the pulley for timing marks in possibily 2 degree increments so to make filing the notch easier.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 I suggest the gizmo with the missing wire on the manifold is a connection for a electric carburetor choke and not on the intake manifold but it is on the exhaust manifold. Is the fitting extremely hot when the engine is running? Follow the vacuum line from the distributor and it should be connected to a fitting at the bottom of the carburetor just to the left of the idle adjustment needle valve as pictured below. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adam H P15 D30 Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) Have to look closely for the marks, I removed my crank pulley once a few years ago and painted them. 2 other ways to time it... 1. Using a vacuum gauge to get to the highest vacuum 2. (the way I do it) Advance it till it pings under high load, lower RPM, back off till it stops pinging, back off a little more, lock it down. I only use the timing light to see where I ended up after doing the above. Fuels are much different now and some factory specs are worthless, timing be one of them. Adam Edited September 30, 2018 by Adam H P15 D30 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Mendes Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 10 hours ago, Plymouthy Adams said: I would recommend you get a degree and piston stop....(use this in #6 piston acess hole) and establish TDC..mark this to the pointer or establish a pointer and mark as TDC and then you can mark the pulley for timing marks in possibily 2 degree increments so to make filing the notch easier.. Piston stop(#6 piston acess hole) or intake valve stop(#6 intake valve acess hole)?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Plymouthy Adams Posted September 30, 2018 Report Share Posted September 30, 2018 (edited) 8 minutes ago, Fernando Mendes said: Piston stop(#6 piston acess hole) or intake valve stop(#6 intake valve acess hole)?? yes, the small plug at #6 is access to the piston top and is always used for checking piston position within the cylinder...…....NOT the SPARK PLUG hole which is access to the top of the valve and will only show if that single valve is opening and closing, no real diagnosis value Edited September 30, 2018 by Plymouthy Adams 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Posted October 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2018 Thanks to all who replied. We'll work on it next weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andydodge Posted October 1, 2018 Report Share Posted October 1, 2018 As Don shows in his pic above........the vacuum line or hose goes from the vacuum diaphram body attached to the side of the distributor to the lower part of the carburetor.......a vacuum is created by the airflow thru the carby which is used to move the rubber diaphram in the diaphram body which is attached to the breaker plate inside the dissy and advances or retards the points opening as the engine rpms increase..........there is NO electric vacuum advance...........also are you quite sure that your engine pulley has NO marks...........have you gone around the complete diameter of the pulley with a piece of very coarse wet & dry paper?..............I have never seen a mopar 6 pulley that didn't have timing marks............is your cars pulley complete?........maybe its missing the timing ring..............does your engine have the timing pointer on the timing cover?..............and thats why its called the timing cover............lol..........anyway if all else fails use Plymouthys advice............andyd Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 1, 2018 Report Share Posted October 1, 2018 Some timing marks are very difficult to see. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dennis Posted October 1, 2018 Author Report Share Posted October 1, 2018 I described the unit on the manifold as a vacuum advance. Major mistake. I think it's an electric choke. Dennis Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Don Coatney Posted October 1, 2018 Report Share Posted October 1, 2018 22 minutes ago, Dennis said: I described the unit on the manifold as a vacuum advance. Major mistake. I think it's an electric choke. Dennis Your welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Mendes Posted October 1, 2018 Report Share Posted October 1, 2018 On 9/30/2018 at 8:59 AM, Plymouthy Adams said: yes, the small plug at #6 is access to the piston top and is always used for checking piston position within the cylinder...…....NOT the SPARK PLUG hole which is access to the top of the valve and will only show if that single valve is opening and closing, no real diagnosis value On 9/30/2018 at 8:59 AM, Plymouthy Adams said: yes, the small plug at #6 is access to the piston top and is always used for checking piston position within the cylinder...…....NOT the SPARK PLUG hole which is access to the top of the valve and will only show if that single valve is opening and closing, no real diagnosis value ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Mendes Posted October 1, 2018 Report Share Posted October 1, 2018 10 minutes ago, Fernando Mendes said: ? I gift I received from Dom Coatney years ago. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FourCornersGreg Posted October 2, 2018 Report Share Posted October 2, 2018 (edited) Best to set timing with a vacuum gauge anyway. I am at 7100' above sea level. If I were to set timing using a strobe and reccomended settings the results would be terrible. This and today's fuels are different which can effect predetonation if you are advanced too far. Also use the same fuel for consistent results. Edited October 2, 2018 by FourCornersGreg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fernando Mendes Posted October 2, 2018 Report Share Posted October 2, 2018 12 hours ago, FourCornersGreg said: Best to set timing with a vacuum gauge anyway. I am at 7100' above sea level. If I were to set timing using a strobe and reccomended settings the results would be terrible. This and today's fuels are different which can effect predetonation if you are advanced too far. Also use the same fuel for consistent results. I set the timing of my PU using the #6 spark plug hole,when #6 intake valve begins to open.I put a little piece over the #6 spark plug hole,when this piece begins to rise, then there is the end of the exhaust stroke.In this same moment the #1 piston is in firing stroke.This method is prescribed in B3-B DRIVER'S MANUAL. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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