Top dead center may be found by removing the appropriate spark plug and observing the piston movement through the spark plughole while turning the engine over by hand. When the piston reaches its highest position, it is at top dead center.
When you are satisfied that top dead center has been accurately located, mark the position for future reference. The static timing procedure is not difficult. The only equipment required is a 12-volt test light. If a commercial test light is not available, a substitute may be easily made by soldering two wires to a 12-volt lightbulb; one wire to the side of the base, and the other to the bottom contact. For convenience, alligator clips may be installed on the other ends of the wires. To static time your engine:
1)As accurately as possible, locate the piston of the “timing cylinder” at top deadcenter, on the compression stroke. This is achieved by noting the position of the ignition rotor when the piston is at top dead center. If the rotor points to the contact on the distributor cap which leads to the spark plug of the “timing cylinder”, the piston is on the compression stroke.
2)If the rotor points away from that contact, the piston is on the exhaust stroke, and the crankshaft must be rotated one full turn to bring the piston to top deadcenter on the compression stoke. Check that the timing marks line up correctly. (If the distributor has been removed from the engine, consult an appropriate workshopmanual for proper re-installation instructions.)
3) Set the crankshaft to the proper advanced or retarded setting as specified for your engine. It is essential that a reliable workshopmanual be consulted for this specification. The piston of your “timing cylinder” is now in the correct firing position, and the distributor must now be adjusted to the firing position.
4) Loosen the distributor clamp to the point where the distributor may be rotated freely.
5)Connect one wire of the test light to the low tension contact on the distributor, and the other wire to a good ground. (The low-tension contact is where the thin wire from one side of the ignition coil connects to the distributor.)
6)With the ignition on (but the engine not running), rotate the distributor body slowly in the opposite direction of the rotor’s rotation until the test light lights up, indicating that the points have just opened. Do this a few times until you have accurately determined the exact point at which this happens, and re-tighten the distributor clampbolt.
