Timing problems

Ok, I admit I haven’t done the timing before, but as I recently set the valve clearances with success I thought I would try ‘timing’
I brought the flywheel to TDC where there is a groove at the back of the flywheel. There is also another groove just to the right of this which I assume is the timing mark probably 7.5deg before TDC.

I double checked that the distributor rotor arm was at number 1 cylinder by tracing the lead back to the spark plug on the right front of the engine. I also checked that with the valve cover off and looking at the valves steady on 1 and the exhaust valve on 2 cylinder rocking as the fly wheel is turned around TDC.

You with me so far, you must have also done this before. [emoji23]

I then rotated the fly wheel to the timing mark/ groove and loosened the distributor mounting nut. I attached a 12v light to the neg terminal of the coil and turned the ignition to ‘on’
The 12 v light came on, so I moved the dissy back ie anti clockwise until the light went out and then tightened the nut.

So I then try to start the engine - wouldn’t start at all ! Double checked everything watched the video on YouTube again (fisherspirit,very good) [emoji106]

To cut to the end of this story, not really knowing what was wrong, I just turned the dissy so that the groove at no 1 makes on the edge of the dissy, met up with the rotor arm, so back quite a way clockwise and guess what the engine started up right away!
Any one know what has gone wrong?






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Hey Mike,

Is that a stock pulley? Normally there is a dimple on the front edge to show tdc. I think your two notches are 7.5 and 10 so if that is correct you need to time to the one furthest to the left. It looks like you may have a dimple further to the left on the same edge as the notches. Can you get a close up of the pulley?

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Does the highlighted bit have a dimple?

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Hi Adam, I don’t think there is any other marks on the pulley wheel. The dark blue pen mark was made by a garage a few years ago.




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mike202 said:

Hi Adam, I don’t think there is any other marks on the pulley wheel. The dark blue pen mark was made by a garage a few years ago.

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Click to expand...

I got the engine running and then with the dissy nut loosened a bit turned it until I hit the sweet spot and the engine sounded good. [emoji12]

I have ordered a timing light so I’ll try max advance when I get that. I have read about 30 Deg is about right ?



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Yup that's right just make sure the vacuum is plugged and you have tdc correct on the pulley. Much easier with a light especially if it's and adjustable one

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