Distributor Question about timing

[52b3b Joe]

I am in the process of returning the engine because I have the right carburator on it now, and I've ran into a problem. I've never formally set the timing yet, and while trying to tonight, I have run out of movement to adjust more. I am maxed out on the major and minor adjustments and still need to turn more counter clock wise to get near the timing marks on the crank. Its a IAT 4011 distributor. Any ideas? Also, my number 1 cylinder on the cap is at 6 o'clock. Should i try to move the wires around on spot and go to the other extreme on the distributor adjustments?

[Young Ed]

Moving the wires over one spot is really your only viable option. The dist only goes 2 ways as its got a tang on the end rather than a gear. The only other thing you could do is remove and reset the oil pump to the cam.

[Jeff Balazs]

Hi;

Try moving #1 wire to the 7 o'clock position......bet that takes care of it.

Jeff

[52b3b Joe]

That is what I was thinking with the wires, thanks for the confirmation, I'll try it when I get time and report back! Hopefully its not the oil pump gear!

[Merle Coggins]

I recently ran into a similar problem while working with Tim (beyert99) on his truck. It seemed that we would run out of adjustment and couldn't get the timing quite right, and if we moved the wires one hole over we would be right at the edge of adjustment, or couldn't quite get it that way either. We also tried to re-index the oil pump and would get the same results. It was then that I discovered that the advance wasn't working properly. It seemed to be fully advanced all of the time. I could rotate it back to it's base point but as soon as it rotated it would fully advance again. It apparently had broken springs on the advance weights. Tim was going to pull the distributor and send it out to be rebuilt. Now that I think of it, I haven't heard how that turned out for him.

You should be able to twist the your rotor a few degrees against the springs in the advance unit and it will spring back into position. If this isn't the case you may have the same issue.

Merle

[52b3b Joe]

I recently ran into a similar problem while working with Tim (beyert99) on his truck. It seemed that we would run out of adjustment and couldn't get the timing quite right, and if we moved the wires one hole over we would be right at the edge of adjustment, or couldn't quite get it that way either. We also tried to re-index the oil pump and would get the same results. It was then that I discovered that the advance wasn't working properly. It seemed to be fully advanced all of the time. I could rotate it back to it's base point but as soon as it rotated it would fully advance again. It apparently had broken springs on the advance weights. Tim was going to pull the distributor and send it out to be rebuilt. Now that I think of it, I haven't heard how that turned out for him.

You should be able to twist the your rotor a few degrees against the springs in the advance unit and it will spring back into position. If this isn't the case you may have the same issue.

Merle

Thanks for that tip! I already checked that out when I put then engine in and had the distributor on the bench. I took the distributor apart and cleaned everything, and I tested the advance with a vacuum pump and it worked fine. I cleaned the advance plate and put a little dielectric grease where it moves. It snaps back when you twist it. I'm going out to the garage right now to try moving the wires around, I'm hoping it isn't the oil pump gear...

[52b3b Joe]

I started looking at it, and yes the oil pump was off a tooth, I took the pump off and reset it. Timing is near the middle of both adjustments now, and its running the best yet. I still have a couple issues to track down before its done, but definitely a step in the right direction. Thanks for the help.

Here it is running:

[John-T-53]

She shounds like she's purring pretty good in your video...nice.

I had the same problem with the timing last rebuild. I just installed my oil pump today on the new motor and made sure it lined up with #1 on the dizzy @ TDC. This thread reminded me to take care when doing so...

[ballscratcher]

I also have an "I can't adjust it far enough" problem and Based on the content of this thread, I need to adjust my oil pump.  Thanks for starting the thread, 52b3b218; now I can cure the problem.

I apologize if this is a hijack but at the very least, it's related.  I'll avoid the usual timing nomenclature because that is my question / issue

As I'm facing the distributor side of the engine and am aiming the timing light at the harmonic balancer, the TDC mark occurs as the balancer is rotating up from the other side of the engine.  When the distributor is rotated fully counter clockwise, am I advancing or retarding timing?  When the distributor is full counter-clockwise, the TDC mark is just barely to the distributor side of the engine and of the fixed marker; maybe one or two degrees.  The engine wants more in this same direction but I can't get it there until after the oil pump is turned.  I have lots of adjustment getting the TDC mark toward the oil pump side of the engine but that's not what the engine wants.

 

The straight forward question is: on which side of the fixed marker is retarded and which is advanced?  Thanks in advance.

[P15-D24]

When the engine speeds up it is advanced. 

[Young Ed]

You shouldn't need to change the oil pump to get more timing. There are 2 adjustments for the dist and if you can't get it adjusted with those then your wires are off 1 spot. If you really want to get it right redo the oil pump index procedure in the shop manual and go from there.