Timing, again

[LeRoy]

Hey all

I recently timed my engine with vacuum, on a drive last night I noticed more ping than I'm comfortable with. I want to retard the timing just a dab but I realized I don't recall which direction the distributor turns. I did a quick search here and found a post that said "clockwise to advance counter clockwise to retard". I felt ok with that at first then it seemed backwards so I went to the manual and it says the opposite....

 

Does anyone know for sure or am I going to have to get over being lazy and hook up the timing light (I cant see the rotor turning from the starter button and I don't have a remote starter button).

[Tom Skinner]

I am getting old here so if someone else knows better chime in.

Which ever way the Rotor turns (say Clockwise) then to advance turn Distributor in the opposite direction (Counter clockwise) to advance timing

And of course - say for a 1944 Ford Jeep the Rotor turns (counter clockwise) then to advance timing turn the distributor (clockwise)

This holds true for all older engines with Rotors, Points, Condensers, Ditributor Caps, etc.

Tom

Edited February 6, 2023 by Tom Skinner

[LeRoy]

I just realized if I stick my arm through the vent window I can reach the button and see the distributor at the same time.  My rotor turns clockwise, so my way of thinking to retard the spark I'd turn the rotor clockwise as well.

 

I think I found 2 examples in my search that said the opposite.

[Tired iron]

You're correct! Since your rotor spins clockwise, turning your distributor counterclockwise advances. Think of it as you are turning the distributor to "meet" the spinning rotor sooner, thereby making the spark happen sooner which advances the timing.

[FarmerJon]

1 hour ago, LeRoy said:

I think I found 2 examples in my search that said the opposite.

A year ago I had my distributor out to freshen it up. When I put it back in I did a quick search online for the firing order. When I went to start it, it wouldn't catch. Turned out that the diagram I had found showed the rotation CCW. 

The internet is great, but remember bad info and embarrassing pictures never die!

[kencombs]

Rule I've always followed and it hasn't failed me yet.  Look at the vacuum advance unit on the distributor, turn the distributor in the direction it points to advance. 

 

Visualize what that unit is doing in operation, high vacuum pulls the point plate toward the vacuum line to advance timing.

 

That's worked on everything with a vacuum unit, GM, Ford, Mopar, Datsun (remember those), etc, 8s, v8s, six, all the same.

Edited February 6, 2023 by kencombs