Engine timing

[Jim M.]

I recently switched my old ignition to an electronic ignition. As I had finished a tried to time the engine it would not let me properly time it.
A couple of mechanic freinds had told me sounds like when the engine was rebuilt it was out a tooth which is causing the distributor to not allow to turn far enough to reach the correct timing.
I was also told that the tooth can still be moved back without having to disassemble the front end of the motor.
Can someone confirm whether it can be done and if so, is a special tool needed or can it be done through the oil pump.

Thank You

Jim

[Joe L.]

Re: Engine timing

Jim-----

If the engine ran properly and could be timed properly before you did the electronic ignition conversion, then I think that it's highly unlikely that you have a timing gear indexation problem. If that were the case, you would have had the same problems with timing before you performed the conversion. There must be some problem with the work you did with the conversion. If you removed the distributor to do the conversion, you may have re-installed it one or more teeth off. This can be corrected by removing and re-installing it properly. No special tools of any kind are needed for this.

Also, if you did have to re-index the timing gears (which, as I say, I doubt is your problem), you would have to remove the timing cover from the engine with all of the other work which it entails. There is no other way to correct this kind of condition.

[Scott Butville]

Re: Engine timing

Another possibility. If you took the gear off the bottom of the distributor shaft, that would throw the distributor off by a half a tooth if it was put back wrong. The little mark needs to point to the rotor.

[Harry Sadlock]

Re: Engine timing

Also, look at the back of the distributor (bottom rear) and the intake manifold where the distributur in installed. They each contain a vertical score mark. Ensure they are alligned. Chevy did this to help the guys on the line put engines together, also helps now.

Harry

38513

[Michael H.]

Re: Engine timing

Hey Jim -

You may want to check that the timing mark on the harmonic damper is still in alignment. Over the years the rubber between the inner and outer disk can deteriorate and the outer disk can slip past its correct position.

[John H.]

Re: Engine timing

The score marks on the distributor base and the intake weren't done before distributor installation as an assembly aid - that mark was made on both parts simultaneously with a hammer and staking chisel on the hot-test stand after the timing had been set, and was intended as a base timing reference mark for dealer technicians when they pulled and re-installed the distributor.