First real tune-up - how to time?

[rumble48]

I am working on a stock 48 plymouth,  and although I have had this car several years, a tune up has been sort of a moving target time wise, taking a back seat to multiple fuel related problems. Finally after replacing the the Strom carb with a B&B, the car seems to start on command and idle smoothly. So I removed the dist. and replaced the points & condenser as well as the cap & rotor. I replaced the dist to the positions I had marked, and started the car, all is good, runs even more smoothly than before.

 

Not one to leave well enough alone, I prepared to set the timing, I found and marked the balancer/pully timing mark, and started to hunt for the reference mark/tab as shown in my manual.  guess what, no tab or marks that I can find. I went ahead and ear timed it, and drove it and no pinging, so all is good, sorta.  as in it sorta bugs me.   

 

Can sombody school me on what or where I should be looking.  The manual pic shows the tab on the front of the timing chain cover, but I don't see it. The manual I am using is one of the evilbay aftermarket manuals, which has been fairly good so far.

 

thanks, craig

[desoto1939]

Can you take a picture of the engine compartment down by the lower pully so we can see what you current have on the front. Maybe the pointer tab has rusted off  or it might have been broken off.

 

If it is not there the best that you might beable to get is a general sence as to how smooth the engine runs and if you get any pinging.

 

Keep us posted.

 

Rich HArtung

[Don Coatney]

Pictured is what it should look like. However I have observed on many engines that the pointer has disappeared for reasons unknown. As Rich said set it by ear and if pinging retard it until the pinging stops. Use of a vacuum gauge may also be helpful.

 

 

 

[jeffsunzeri]

At the rear of the cylinder head, just over the number 6 cylinder is a 1/8 npt threaded plug. When you remove this plug, you can insert a thin rod, such as a welding rod.

Set the number 1 cylinder on compression stroke.

Using the rod in the timing hole over the number six piston, set the piston to top dead center by pulling the engine through by hand.

You can be super accurate by using a dial indicator in conjunction with the rod in the hole.

Once on TDC, you can then make a mark using a paint pen, or thin brush to mark your timing cover opposite the marks you made on your balancer.

You now have an accurate pointer.

[rumble48]

At the rear of the cylinder head, just over the number 6 cylinder is a 1/8 npt threaded plug. When you remove this plug, you can insert a thin rod, such as a welding rod.

Set the number 1 cylinder on compression stroke.

Using the rod in the timing hole over the number six piston, set the piston to top dead center by pulling the engine through by hand.

You can be super accurate by using a dial indicator in conjunction with the rod in the hole.

Once on TDC, you can then make a mark using a paint pen, or thin brush to mark your timing cover opposite the marks you made on your balancer.

You now have an accurate pointer.

Saw this in the manual as a way to time from scratch.

 

this is definitely a long way from my sbc background.....

 

so to net, Don's pic's show what is missing on mine. Under the 'don't fix it if it ain't broke rule', there's no chance I'm replacing the timing cover even if I could find one,

 

so it's ear timing and maybe the vaccuum gauge for now....  thanks to all for the responses,

 

craig

 

Ps Don... I mostly lurk here, I am amazed at your ability to have a picture for what seems like every occasion.....  and to have them at what seems like your finger tips to help folks like me.  thanks.

[Barabbas]

 

Ps Don... I mostly lurk here, I am amazed at your ability to have a picture for what seems like every occasion.....  and to have them at what seems like your finger tips to help folks like me.  thanks.

 Boy ain't that the truth----I've learned more from Don's pictures than any other source

[greg g]

the vacuum gauge will give you real condition setting.  Taking engine condition and air fuel mix as they exist.  Probbly some things have changed since the factory deigned TDC to be the timing at idle 60 years ago.  With my milled head and today's gas, my initial setting at idle is 6 BTDC, although I did notice a bit of ping while climbing hills, might need to retard it a smidge, as I think they are trying to sneak in a bit more corn squeezings that the advertised 10% around here.  Or there cold still be some winter blend gas still in the tanks.

[Niel Hoback]

  The engine I put in my car was missing its pointer also.  Looking at pictures from the shop manual and the Motor's Manual, its possible to make a pretty accurate pointer out of sheet metal and attaching it to the timing cover with good ole JBWeld.  Before I put the motor in, I used a straight edge to make an imaginary line through the center of the water pump hub and the center of the crank pulley.  I made a mark where the pointer should be stuck on with the pointed end on the center line.  Works good.

  If it was running well before you took the distributor out and you made a mark to put it back where it was, you should be ok. Its kind of like fixing something that isn't broke.

[Labrauer]

I have the pointer but I have no notches on the pulley or anywhere around. The pointer is no good if you can't find a mark of TDC or anything around. I have used a wire brush, pudy knife and other ways to try and find any marks to no luck. Any one have this problem or is it just on my car? I have the car running pretty good just using a dwell meter but I'm sure it would be better with the timing marks.