1948 dodge custom with pick up engine

[Ed McDermott]

Trying to check dwell and timing on my 48 Dodge Custom Fluid Drive and recently discovered that I have a 51-53 truck engine installed .  Engine # T306*I7I384*

I was able to set the dwell according to the manual 38 degrees not sure if this is correct for the engine?

On timing, I could not find a reference point (tab) for the timing.  See image.

I subsequently just checked the timing with a light and the 0 degree marked appeared at approximately 12 o'clock.  The car runs reasonably well at this point.

So any suggestions as to a timing mark reference tab.  I don't see a place to mount one if I had one or could fabricate one.

Another question.  Is there any significant difference in the 51  truck engine and the 48 original custom engine regarding timing and dwell settings or other things I might not  be aware of?

thanks Ed

 

[YukonJack]

2 hours ago, Ed McDermott said:

Trying to check dwell and timing on my 48 Dodge Custom Fluid Drive and recently discovered that I have a 51-53 truck engine installed .  Engine # T306*I7I384*

I was able to set the dwell according to the manual 38 degrees not sure if this is correct for the engine?

On timing, I could not find a reference point (tab) for the timing.  See image.

I subsequently just checked the timing with a light and the 0 degree marked appeared at approximately 12 o'clock.  The car runs reasonably well at this point.

So any suggestions as to a timing mark reference tab.  I don't see a place to mount one if I had one or could fabricate one.

Another question.  Is there any significant difference in the 51  truck engine and the 48 original custom engine regarding timing and dwell settings or other things I might not  be aware of?

thanks Ed

 

 

Edited August 25, 2021 by YukonJack

[YukonJack]

The timing tab of pointer should be on the drivers side of the motor.

[Sniper]

There is a procedure for find TDC in the manual that involves taking the pipe plug above #6 cylinder.  Might want to follow that to find TDC and see where the pointer needs to be, then fab one if you don't have one.

[The Oil Soup]

The pointer is held on by three or four spot welds on the timing chain cover and is easier seen from the drivers side.

[Ed McDermott]

thanks for the info will try

Ed

[JBNeal]

On 8/25/2021 at 9:14 AM, Ed McDermott said:

...Is there any significant difference in the 51  truck engine and the 48 original custom engine regarding timing and dwell settings or other things I might not  be aware of?...

That rear main seal changed design and the head gasket changed to accommodate the thermostat internal bypass configuration...when ordering engine parts, specify for the '51.

[Ed McDermott]

thanks again

[Ed McDermott]

21 hours ago, Sniper said:

There is a procedure for find TDC in the manual that involves taking the pipe plug above #6 cylinder.  Might want to follow that to find TDC and see where the pointer needs to be, then fab one if you don't have one.

Perhaps you could help me a little more.  By pipe plug do you mean the spark plug lead wire  and attaching the timing light to that #6 wire or something else? Or is this a mechanical procedure to get top dead center.

My Chrysler Dodge shop manual shows the timing reference pointer to be on the passenger side as best I can make out from page 93 fig 16.

Also a little confused should timing be set using #1 spark plug wire for the timing light?  Perhaps there is more to this than I understand and appreciate any help.

I have included two photos taken from the driver side looking down at the crank. It is hard to  see any timing reference or place that it might have been there.  Also towards the top of the picture there is a small jagged piece sticking out which I thought might be remnants of a broken indicator but I believe that is too far above the crank reference marks.

 

[Sniper]

Here's the page out of my FSM.  It is a mechanical procedure to find TDC.  Before timing lights you would set the timing by positioning the #6 piston at a specified distance before/after or at TDC and use a test light (not a timing light) to set the timing.   You can also see where the timing tab should be.

 

 

Edited August 26, 2021 by Sniper

[DonaldSmith]

"Pipe Plug":  There is an actual pipe plug at the No. 6 cylinder, over the piston, for measuring the stroke and finding Top Dead Center. .  (The spark plug is over the valves, so it won't help finding the piston stroke.)  No. 1 and No. 6 cylinders are at top dead center at the same time, but two cycles apart.   There's a fine art to having a probe through  the pipe plug hole, and finding top dead center.  There's little vertical movement when the piston is approaching TDC.

    

[Ed McDermott]

Thanks for the information which I followed and also found a short you tube video showing the technique.  Set out to find the pipe plug and found only a threaded hole (see image).  Pushed a rod in and it would only go down 1/2 - 3/4 inches so I guessed it may have been snapped off by previous owners.  Ran the engine and did not notice and positive or negative pressure coming from the threaded opening.

So I guess that my only option would be to for reference to get back to (1) mark the distributor current  position, (2) connect the timing light to  cylinder #1 spark wire  and mark a chalk line referencing the TDC indicated by 0 degrees on the crank,  then(3) slowly turn the distributor ccw until you hear a ping and back off a few degree.  perhaps this is how it got to its current setting?

[Dodgeb4ya]

Carbon can build up in the small diameter hole beneath the plug.

[Ed McDermott]

2 hours ago, Dodgeb4ya said:

Carbon can build up in the small diameter hole beneath the plug.

Thanks but are you saying even though the pipe plug has been missing since I have had the car (1 yr)  that the carbon deposit was so strong that the engine does not leak on the compression stroke when running and one would need to dissolve or break out the carbon deposit?