Help with 350i ignition timing

[NaCl]

The crank pulley wheel of my '87 350 Tasmin doesn't have any timing marks allowing me to set the ignition timing up (I've had the dizzy out). There is only a small peg protruding sideways out of the pulley wheel and some kind of electronic pickup at the 3 o'clock position when viewed from the front of the car. The pickup has a connector attached to it (with a screw cap), presumably to be plugged in to when the ignition timing is setup by the 'professionals'.

The dizzy in roughly the right place (to within a few degrees) and the engine runs, but the peg is nowhere near the pickup when the timing strobe is running off the spark from no.1 cylinder.

Does anyone know how to set this system up? I can't find anything on a search - and don't yet have a Steve Heath Wedge manual (only a Griff / Chim one).

Any help appreciated.

Andy

Ps. The engine was playing up - running very rich - blowing blue smoke - so I replaced the dizzy cap, rotor arm, leads, plugs - still the same, so replaced the Coolant Temp Sensor - still the same - reluctantly, think I need to get it to a local specialist to sort.

[TVRleigh_BBWR]

Make a piston stop from a old spark plug. do a google search.
you can then mark up TDC, from there you should then be able to calculate and mark 10 degree's before and after.

[GV]

TVRleigh_BBWR said:

Make a piston stop from a old spark plug. do a google search.
you can then mark up TDC, from there you should then be able to calculate and mark 10 degree's before and after.

Make sure you set up No1 on the compression stroke and not the exhaust as I did first time round. The simple fix if you do get the exhaust stroke is to rotate the dizzy 180 degrees....

[adam quantrill]

... or move all the leads around???

When doing the timing disconnect the vacuum or you'll get too much advance. It should be set with vacuum off.

I would have thought that the peg should indicate TDC as it passes the pickup but we need an SDi expert to verify this.

[Tasmindevil]

TVRleigh_BBWR said:

Make a piston stop from a old spark plug. do a google search.
you can then mark up TDC, from there you should then be able to calculate and mark 10 degree's before and after.

Good advice, did the above, firstly with a DTi then followed the above with a piston stop as there can be inaccuracy's with the DTi, fortunately it was spot on but my timing marks were a good 6 deg out.

[Wedg1e]

You sure there are no marks? They are usually a bit faint, engraved on the wide part of the pulley damper weight (in fact the bit with the peg in IIRC). Give it a polish round with some emery then a quick wipe with white paint or Tippex on a rag to highlight them.
That 'diagnostic socket' isn't worth a light, just fling it

Usually on 95RON fual you want about 8 deg. BTDC at idle with the vac. disconnected and plugged, then fine-tune for optimum (or Optimax ).

[NaCl]

Thanks for the replies folks. I've bought an advancing strobe so should be able to sort it.
I use Shell Optimax whenever I can, so maybe it will need further a tweak once it's back on factory settings.

[adam quantrill]

Also don't forget to check that it's advancing OK.

- Suck on the vacuum pipe and watch it advance (maybe 10 degrees extra?? anyone know?)
- Rev up to 3500 and watch the mechanical advance (around 15 - 20 degrees extra).