Basic timing questions from a complete novice.

Always nice to have the correct tools:(. Not got access to a lathe Harvey, you must have a decent man cave:). I've managed to get one of my older sockets and attack it with an angle grinder and voila.........a very rough looking socket but it fits a treat and does the job, not pretty but it works:D
 
Always nice to have the correct tools:(. Not got access to a lathe Harvey, you must have a decent man cave:).

I haven't got a lathe either, but I've always had a handy mate who has one.

I've managed to get one of my older sockets and attack it with an angle grinder and voila.........a very rough looking socket but it fits a treat and does the job, not pretty but it works

That's how I did my first one.
 
Got all the plugs out today and was still as massive effort turning the engine manually. Many bruises and lost skin later and by trying to turn the fan and pulling and pushing the belt I think I've just about managed to find TDC and think my markings are about 1.5 degrees out, so my TDC is actually at 1.5 BTDC. Got it all back together and strobed it at about 1000rpm which is my tickover. Would this be a decent rpm to take a reading from? I'm getting a reading of 2 degrees BTDC so bearing in mind my actual TDC is 1.5 degrees does this mean that I am actually running at 0.5 degrees BTDC?

If I wanted to change the timing to about 4 BTDC which way would I need to move the distributor?

Many thanks.
 
Rpm too high distributor will be automatically advancing at that rate. I think it needs to be at most 700.
 
1000rpm is too fast, aim for 650-750rpm.
If your pointer is at 1.5BTDC, and you're reading 2BTDC, then you're actually running at 0.5BTDC as you say. If you want to advance it further you need to turn the distributor anticlockwise. Advancing it is going to increase the idle speed even more.

Move the pointer so it's reading right, this is making my head hurt!
 
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1000rpm is too fast, aim for 650-750rpm.
If your pointer is at 1.5BTDC, and you're reading 2BTDC, then you're actually running at 0.5BTDC as you say. If you want to advance it further you need to turn the distributor anticlockwise. Advancing it is going to increase the idle speed even more.

Move the pointer so it's reading right, this is making my head hurt!
Thanks and sorry Harvey.
 
Managed to adjust my tickover and get it siting at about 700rpm. Got my timing pointer pointing precisely at TDC now and have adjusted to 4 degrees BTDC with a strobe. Going to see how it runs but so far so good. Thanks for all the advice and help. I found turning the crank pulley really difficult even with all the plugs out and pushing on the fan to assist, but found one tip on another thread which made it very easy (typical after all the grief yesterday) Try using a big screwdriver/square bar or something else suitable to fit between the lugs/bolt heads sticking out of the crank pulley to lever it around. Hope this might help someone else in the future.

Thanks for the help and advice.
 
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I use a socket on the bolt inside the pulley.
Did try that quattro but kept having to stop to take the socket out as the fan passed and proved quite timely, seemed a bit quicker the other way. Suppose it's wjhat you get used to:)
 
I turn them over using the fanblades, but you have to move the blade with one hand, while using your other hand to press the fanbelt in tight on the side you're moving towards. Anticlockwise is easy because you're pressing down on the top run of the belt, clockwise is a little more difficult as you're pressing the belt in on the vertical drop. The belt needs to be correctly adjusted to start with or you won't stand a chance.
 
Did try that quattro but kept having to stop to take the socket out as the fan passed and proved quite timely, seemed a bit quicker the other way. Suppose it's wjhat you get used to:)

I keep forgetting my car is modified :oops: I don't have a fan on mine.
 
incidentally it's best to apply a bit of anti seize to plug threads when refitting plugs. most use a copper based but the nickel is better ( used by Ford for example) and if not applying torque by meter? and using new plugs we can get a 'feel' for plug as we turn in by hand until it starts to squash the washer fitted on plug. once washer starts to compress we ought to feel the extra torque on spanner and simply when the resistance rises suddenly ( fully squashed washer) happy between a half turn more. over tightening can strip cyl head threads as well as distort them. if no ant seize is used the heat will cause adhesion etc between plug and cyl heads as chemically different etc.
adding a half teaspoon of anti seize to plug threads at top of plug will ensure a thin film is pushed into cyl socket and prevents much if not all adhesive issues and makes removing plugs so much easier. potentially saving reworking or scrapping of parts.
 
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