230 3.8 L6 dodge timing

[Crisjr14]

OK need some help here took off #1 & #6 plug as well as the plug next to # 6 put rod in put the paper in #1 hole crank it it till it popped rotor is pointing in the 7 o'clock position but why and how do I get my harmonic lined up with the arrow marker for TDC or to make it the same please any help will be greatly appreciated thank you attached are the pictures of how I did it 

[Sniper]

There is a pipe plug above #6 cylinder that you remove and put a thin rod down there to verify #6 piston is at TDC.  When it is the mark on the balancer should be at TDC as well.  The details on how to do this should be in the service manual.

 

If you have already done this and that yellow mark is the TDC line on the balancer then you have a bad balancer.  The outer ring has slipped.

 

Edit - Well, crap, I didn't look close enough at your pictures, I see you have the rod in the #6 cylinder.  Looks like a bad balancer.

Edited May 17, 2022 by Sniper

[Burtbaccarat]

I’m sort of dealing with the same thing….I have no markings on the balancer and want to put a TDC mark on it for reference….and in the instance it may be SLIGHTLY out of time, I’d like to be able to adjust with some form of accuracy….

anyhow, I read in the manual about finding TDC on #6, but couldn’t we just find it on the compression stroke of #1? Aren’t 1 and 6 up at the same time? Or do we use 6 just because there’s a port there for a feeler rod?

[Sniper]

3 hours ago, Burtbaccarat said:

Or do we use 6 just because there’s a port there for a feeler rod?

 

This

 

1 and 6 are at TDC at the same time, one on the compression stroke, the other on the exhaust stroke.  But the mark on the balancer will be on 0 when they are at TDC, regardless of which one is on what stroke.

 

The marks on my balancer are very shallow and faint.  I really had to scrub it with a wire brush to see them, with the radiator out.  I then marked them with a Sharpie.

 

[Crisjr14]

So then when 1 & 6 are up the balancer should be on zero right also is the rotor supposed to be in the 7 o'clock position 

[Sniper]

14 minutes ago, Crisjr14 said:

So then when 1 & 6 are up the balancer should be on zero

 

Yes

 

15 minutes ago, Crisjr14 said:

is the rotor supposed to be in the 7 o'clock position 

 

Only if #1 is on it's compression stroke.  If it is on the exhaust stroke then the rotor should be pointing to #6's position as it will be on the compression stroke.  You can pull #1's spark plug, put your thumb over the hole and if you feel air blowing out as you rotate the engine over then it's on the compression stroke.

[joecoozie]

I use a ping pong ball in/on the spark plug hole. When the ball pops up that's the compression stroke

[Los_Control]

On 5/16/2022 at 1:57 PM, Crisjr14 said:

OK need some help here took off #1 & #6 plug as well as the plug next to # 6 put rod in put the paper in #1 hole crank it it till it popped rotor is pointing in the 7 o'clock position but why and how do I get my harmonic lined up with the arrow marker for TDC or to make it the same please any help will be greatly appreciated

Lots of good advice posted above.

Something to remember is if the oil pump for any reason has been removed .... To install the oil pump it needs to be exactly like the book says or your rotor will be pointing to a different wire on the cap as planned.

 

Same time if you used paper to find tdc compression on #1 cyl, rotor is pointing at 7:00 o'clock position .... that sounds like correct factory timing.

[Crisjr14]

Yes very valuable info so now if I was to use a timing gun could I run it off my '53s 6volt? I was told to connect the clips to a 12 volt car and put the clip for the #1 spark plug wire on the '53 also i was told that my radiator fan is bent bad and that could cause alot of the vibration and missing  does anyone know where I can get another one it is a 6 blade 17" metal one please any and all information is greatly appreciated 

[FarmerJon]

My 12v light worked but was pretty dim on 6v. Hooking it to a spare battery sounds like a good idea!

 

I don't know if a wobbly radiator fan would cause missing, but it certainly could make a bad vibration and be a hazard to your radiator. Iirc, you can take the stock one off and put the pulley back on with the same bolts. Should tell you if a problem is being caused by the fan, but don't let it idle long!

 

ETA: check your water pump while you are there, make sure it turns freely, smoothly and doesn't have excessive play or wobble.

Edited June 14, 2022 by FarmerJon

[Burtbaccarat]

8 hours ago, Crisjr14 said:

So then when 1 & 6 are up the balancer should be on zero right also is the rotor supposed to be in the 7 o'clock position 

That’s my understanding . I know when I first installed my new cap/rotor/points/ condenser……cylinder 1 is at 7oclock ish for the start of the firing order

[Tom Skinner]

Chrisjr14,

They make a Top Dead Center Whistle for finding TDC. Connect it to #1 Plug Hole, find TDC on the compression stroke. It stops whistling at TDC.

Check Points to see they are gaped correctly. Turn ignition key on. Find your Static Time (with engine off) by rotating the Distributer with the Coil Wire to within 1/4" at ground on the block. A spark will fly when you hit it just right. Start engine and fine tune using a Timing Light. Because of high octane gas the setting vary. Gas was arount 76 octane in 1948. I use non-ethanol gas 87 octane. You will find a sweet spot usually BTDC (Before Top Dead Center) I set mine 6 Degrees BTDC for good results even though the Service Manual calls for 2 Degrees BTDC. You are probably safe as I have read on this site between 2 Degrees BTDC and as much as 12 Degrees BTDC, due in part to the higher Octanes in todays Fuel as well as the Corn they dump into it as well. A test drive will confirm your efforts.

Tom

[DJK]

I find that 6 degrees BTDC and 36-38 degrees of dwell work great on my 52 Cranbrook.

[desoto1939]

yes a 12v timing light will work on our cars. I have a sears timing light that is 12v.  Yes the light will be alittle timer but you can time your car with the 12 volt timing light. even thought your rotor is pointing at 7 oclock check to where that specific wire is routed to which spark plug. If is is going to a different plug other than number 1 then you will at least have an idea if the pully slipped or the indexing of the oilpump is off and not set to number.

 

Mechanics have over the years move sparkplug wires to compensate for wrong indexed oilpump orientation to the distributor.

 

So the other question is does you engine just crank or are you gettingit to fire up and run, or if running it is rough or is it smooth?  remember that Chrysle did all of us a big favor when they designed their distributor shaft. Instead of having a gear driven system they designed their with a slot  and tab system. A slot in the oilpump and then corresponding tab on the dizzy end.  So either you get the tab and slot to lineup and match, but with this system you are either right in the correct position or you can be 180 degress off. If the car is not starting then it might be that the dizzy shaft needs to be rotated 180 degrees and then insert the dizzy into the block.  Then check where your firing order is and make adjustments..

 

When removing the dizzy make a mark on the engine block and the dizzy body as a reference point so that you are going back in the same position that you removed it. Also make a make to indicate the poisition of the rotor.  These two small reference points will solve you a lot of time.

 

Rich Hartung

Desoto1939@aol.com

[kencombs]

I almost never use a timing light on older engines.   Vacuum gauge for me.   Static time as above, then set to highest steady vacuum.   Test drive and adjust if pinging is noted in high load, low speed situations. 
 

may not be ‘right’ but has worked for me for years.   Lots of years!

[Crisjr14]

OK got it somewhat to run a little smoother but now want to ask if anyone can help with these tools I was told that would help me tune in my carburetors need to know how do they work and where am I supposed to make adjustments on the glass Guage please thank you all for your help 

[Sniper]

That is what is called a uni sync, here's Edelbrock's instructions

 

https://www.edelbrock.com/mwdownloads/download/link/id/76909/

[Crisjr14]

Thank you sniper but need to know please on that part that screws up and down in the middle where the spring is where do I set it at completely closed or just enough to allow the air flow to make the adjustments?

[Sniper]

Read the instructions, it is covered there.

 

With engine at idle, disconnect throttle linkage to all carburetors except for one.
Place Uni-Syn on carburetor still connected, with air flow control (A) in an open
position. Gradually turn control down until float (B) in tube rises to center line of
tube (C).