The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area Engine Shop Timing marks on fly wheel

I have a 57 buick, and to set the time on that I put the timing light on the harmonic balancer and line up the mark on it with a mark on a piece of metal on the block. My 235 engine has a set of marks on the flywheel. One is a triangle, there is a small circle, and I believe 3 straight marks. I assume this is used to set the time, using the pointer just back of the starter. QUESTION: What in the world are all those marks for, and which one do I use to set the time. I need to put the distributor back in, and I need to know when the number one cylinder is at top dead center. How to I tell when that happens. Thanks for your help. Allen

the ball is all that counts, never seen the others

Bill

Bill. Thanks for the quick reply. The Circle is on one side, there are 3 straight lines, and then a triangle on the other. Assuming the circle is all that matters, how do I tell when the number one cylinder is at top dead center? As nearly as I can tell from the numbers on the motor, the engine was built in 1961, and was originally installed in a series 3100 pickup. But, I don't think that makes any difference. Allen

no, they're all the same - the circle should be a little ball stuck to the flywheel - the lines may be to help w/ advance or retard, but correct timing is when the ball is visible at the pointer w/ a timing light - to find TDC remove #1 plug, put a finger over the hole, and crank until you feel compression then go just enuff further to line the ball up - if you've got the valve cover off, crank until #1 intake is closed, then a bit further to line up the ball

Bill

Bill: Thanks again. I don't have a ball on the flywheel, but I will assume the circle is the same thing and go with that. I think 61 or 62 was the last year this engine was produced, so maybe by the time they built the one I have, they changed the system a little. I'm sure a shop manual from the proper year would tell me for certain, but I don't want to buy one just for that one piece of info. Allen

According to Motors Truck Repair Manual, 19th Edition, '59 and older engines time to the ball. 1960-1962 engines time "First short radial mark clockwise from timing ball."

Cletis: Thanks for the info. That will help. All this talk about a ball has me confused. Did some of the flywheels actually have a ball on them? Mine has a circle, but there is no ball. Allen

Yes, earlier ones had a ball only. Yours is a later one.

if you can, would you show a pix of the ball. thanks Fred

Fred.... It looks just like a beebee,imbedded in the face of the flywheel.
Steve sr

thanks, I had a hard enough time seeing the small screws holding my electronic module in my dist,, you can actually see this ball/bb from the top side of the engine?

Guys: Thanks for all the help. I think I have the distributor in correctly. I'm now having another problem. Check out my post under the timing marks thread. It probably should have been in the electrical section. Thanks Allen

The triangle (sometimes a square or diamond)is TDC, the ball is the timing mark for a stock engine.

What is a BB :confused: (sorry I´m german:D)

Frank

Frank: A BB is a small round piece of lead or steel that looks like a very small ball bearing. Everything has changed since I was young just after the big bang, but back then we used them in our toy rifles. The rifles were spring loaded, and whey you worked the lever it would load one BB in the chamber so you could fire it. About the only thing the gun was good for was to accidentaly shoot some one in the eye, but we thought they were fun. In this day of political correctness and over reaction to everything I doubt you can still buy the toy guns. Thanks for the information about the triangle. It has been a long running mystery. Allen

I just went through this with the '55 235 I put into my 1940 GMC. I used the '41-'54 6volt type flywheel. I tried timing to the BB, but it was off. Then a buddy told me his '51 manual said to use the triangle. Since this is a '51 era flywheel I tried using the triangle and it timed perfectly. It then fired right up. Checked it with timing light and it was right on.

Steve

I believe the BB is .177 caliber or 4.4 mm

BB was a name for a specific shogun ammo pellet/bead size (lead or zinc/copper-coated steel).
Shotgun ammo pellet/bead sizes

"Originally, the first BB guns had a bore size of approximately 0.180 inches. This is close to the shotgun pellet size BB, which falls in between shot size B and size BBB. Hence, little boys used lead BB shot in their guns. Later, Daisy standardized lead shot to 0.175 inches and called it air rifle shot."

Steve: You are exactly right. I used the triangle and it fired right off. Allen