Basic Distributor set up link?

[OUTFXD]

I'm sure this has been gone over a bajillion times.  But as noted before,  my google-fu  is weak!

 

Looking for the last few degrees to get my timing dead on accurate I loosened some of the adjustments and now she wont start at all and for the life of me I cant think where to start o set up the dist.

 

anyone have a link to basic set up for the dist?

 

Also,  for some reason I thought the timing should be set up at 8 degrees BTD.   According to the manual initial timing should be bang on TDC.  what is the appropriate initial timing?

[DonaldSmith]

Maaybe set the distributor to 4 to 6 BTD with todays gas. 

 

One trick for getting the distributor close to right timing is to have a test light with two leads.

First, check TDC on the compression stroke vs which plug wire the rotor is pointing to  (7:00 is typical.)  

Then disconnect the distributor wire at the coil and connect one lead of the test bulb to that wire.  Connect the other lead to the hot post of the battery, or other live source.  The light bulb should remain on as the points remain closed, but shut off when the points open, which is when the coil would fire. . 

Loosen the distributor bolt(s) and rotate the distributor.  Note where the pulley is in regards to the pointer when the light shuts off.   

Rotate the distributor until the pointer points to your intended target.   

 

If you hve a vacuum bauge, yu can tweak it finer, for maximum vacuum at idle. 

[Sam Buchanan]

What do you mean by “loosened some of the adjustments”?

[OUTFXD]

32 minutes ago, Sam Buchanan said:

What do you mean by “loosened some of the adjustments”?

I loosened the distirbutor to block screw to rotate for timing adjustment,  and on the opposite  side on the underside of the distributor is an screw which allows further rotation of the destributor,  but I now think it is for dwell adjustment.

[Sniper]

Dwell is adjusted by setting the gap of the points when fully open it has nothing to do with either of the external bolts on the distributor that control timing.

Edited October 22, 2023 by Sniper

[DonaldSmith]

There are two thin plates under the distributor that allow for making major and minor timing adjustments. 

 

As seen in the photo above, we see the upper plate bolted to the bottom of the distributor.  The lower plate is bolted through a slotted hole to the engine block.  This is for the major adjustment.  

 

The platea are bolted together below the vacuum advance.  (The bolt head has a screwdriver slot in it, but it takes a big screwdriver.) This is the minor adjustment.  The crankshaft turns twrice for every turn of the distributor, so a degree adjustment her makes two degrees difference in the timing. 

 

This is all 'splained somewhere in the shop manual 

 

 

[OUTFXD]

Feeling better today.  Remounted the coil (Was limiting Distributor rotation),  Had her all back together and Timing dead nuts accurate in under an hour. 

[Fernando Mendes]

I found it strange this ignition timing(before and/or after).I can make a pointer and paste it in the cover.Are these two model of breaker pointer original for the DPCD?