Guys i need some advise before i burn this car

[ralph350i]

Hi
Well i am now at a complete loss as i cant get the timing correct, so here's the issue, so i set pully to tdc and check to see if piston is at the top, then i adjsut the dizzy as show in the picture to lead 1, you can see the mark



so i try to start the car in which at first appears to want to go, then the car start back firing etc, so i move the pully back to TDC and check the rotor arm postion which has now moved dead 180 degs


and rotor arm end up now in this postion


so surely if it's set, how the hell does it move out of postion???? or is it just me being a complete twit

i really could do with some advise please guys

Many thanks

Ralph

Edited by ralph350i on Saturday 14th April 16:21

[carsy]

You need to be sure you are on TDC compression ( both valves shut ). and not TDC when its coming up on the exhaust stroke.

[jock sproket]

ralph me and the wild rover rebuilt his oil pump and gearing redone the timing disovered each mark on pulley equels 2 degrees not 1 and when you turn engine one full revolution rotar arm only moves 180 degrees second turn puts rotar arm back to number 1 lead.Hope this gets you going.

loud n proud

sproket

[vampire222]

Sounds like your distributor is screwed if it moves that much

[tvrgit]

Erm... forgive me if this is too bloody obvious but... how many times does the crankshaft go round for every turn of the camshaft (and therefore, for every turn of the distributor)?

[Lean Machine]

Take out all spark plugs so as the engine can be turned over easily by using a socket on the front crank pulley. Using a screw driver or a long rod measure the distance the number one piston rises. (number one piston is the one nearest the radiator). Now crank the engine with the socket to reach the highest point on cylinder number one at the same time line up the mark on the front pulley to TDC when the rotor is pointing roughly towards lead no.1. In this position the timing should be set well enough to start the car. If it starts up, you need to use a strobe light for a finer setting. If it backfires you need to rotate the crank one more time and reset the whole thing as you could be on the exhaust stroke rather than the compression stroke. I hope this helps. The rule is the same for all piston cars, whatever the cc. Good luck and try to be patient.

Tony. TCB.

[Jack Valiant]

Agree with Lean Machine, also worth taking the rocker cover off and make sure that both valves are closed on the compression stroke on No 1 then check that dizzy and rotor arm are pointing at the correct plug lead

Chris

[TOPTON]

As jock says above, one turn of the crank pulley turns the rotor arm 180deg, so 2 turns would put it back to TDC. The car should start on TDC, then it is adjusted to 6-8 BTDC. Sounds like you have a plug lead or two on the wrong place if it back firing (very easy to do wrong)

Firing order is 1 8 4 3 6 5 7 2 working clockwise from No1 on the dizzy. Passenger side plugs 1 3 5 7 (from the front) Driver side 2 4 6 8 (from the front)


That rotor arm in your pic looks like a real old one too

[Barkychoc]

TDC on my old V8S

[ralph350i]

jock sproket said:

ralph me and the wild rover rebuilt his oil pump and gearing redone the timing disovered each mark on pulley equels 2 degrees not 1 and when you turn engine one full revolution rotar arm only moves 180 degrees second turn puts rotar arm back to number 1 lead.Hope this gets you going.

loud n proud

sproket

Spocket
Thanks it make sense now

cheers

Ralph

Edited by ralph350i on Saturday 14th April 19:12

[ralph350i]

carsy said:

You need to be sure you are on TDC compression ( both valves shut ). and not TDC when its coming up on the exhaust stroke.

Carsy
this could well be what i am missing, Thanks and to all the other members thanks very much for your input i have been doing pretty much what you have advised already apart from hopefull having the car on the exhaust stoke, i,ll check tomorrow and hopefully this will work

Kind Regards to all

Ralph

[Mike Brewer]

Ralph .I am useless with spanners.But i am sure with the help given above you will get there.....As i have said before you deserve to mate...........Mike

[RCK974X]

Just a note to help,

You can tell by watching the valves go up and down, because when cyl 1 is NOT on its firing stroke, exhaust valve will have just closed, and inlet will be just opening....(called 'rocking' also used for valve adjustment on lder engines)

If it is on the firing stroke, valves should not move as crank moves (around TDC).

hmmm... this should still work with hydraulic lifters ???

[jagracer]

Sounds like you have it timed 180deg out.

[haircutmike]

If your stuck, let me know as I'm in Surrey and have a timing gun also.

[ralph350i]

haircutmike said:

If your stuck, let me know as I'm in Surrey and have a timing gun also.

Morning Mike
Thats very kind of you to offer mate, but i think i have my head around the issue and off out in a bit to try

many thanks

ralph

[Mike Brewer]

Good luck Ralph.Mike

[ralph350i]

cheers Mike
Well set the timing on the compression stoke and it still is back firing and not starting, i have checked all the leads, cleaned the plugs and it still will not run, the only thing i can see, is the plugs are pretty dry and the exhaust is very wet???
I know the timing is correct now as i put a wet tissue in plug one and hand cranked until it pops out, thus compression, so god only knows what the hell i am doing wrong, any advise would be great, cheers, ralph

[mrzigazaga]

Hi Ralph..Dry plugs sounds like NO fuel is getting through..What do you mean by "Wet exhaust"??..How is the coolant level...Ziga

[carsy]

Now you are on compression stroke TDC. Are you positive the rotor arm is pointing to number 1 plug lead. If it is and still wont go you need to check for a good spark and fuel.

Have you got fuel? You say the plugs were dry.