The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay TIMING TROUBLE!

Went from "TURNS OVER, BUT NO FIRING" to "GOT SPARK, BUT WON'T START".

Now I've gotten the old girl to start and run for a while, but I'm having trouble getting my timing down. After setting things up, and running the engine (with some backfire), I loosened the clamp screw and turned the distrib a bit (a lot). Now I'm not sure where to set it. I hand crank the flywheel, turn the dizzy to where the points open and spark, replace the cap and install the plugs (#1 where the rotor points). When I turn her over, I get backfire, smoke, some good firing with the choke pulled, but I can't get it to start again. When I turn the flywheel to the mark, it seems the rotor is always pointing to a different plug. I figure if I keep turning the dizzy I will eventually find a place where the engine will run, but there must be an easier way. I tell you, I'm scratching my head here. Help!

The mark on the flywheel appears twice per each rotation of the distributor, once at number one plug wire position on the rotor and once directly opposite number one, at number six plug wire on your engine. That's why you were told to hold your finger over the number one spark plug hole until the compression popped it out in order to determine that you were on the firing stroke for number one and not for number six when the timing mark came up. Get the timing close statically, then move the distributor while the engine is running to get the smoothest running. If the engine kicks back against the starter, you've advanced it too far.

What balby said. Before you try to get the timing set, get a good timing light, preferrably with an advance knob. You really need to be precise with the timing. Also, and I've posted this before, put a dab of white paint on the pointer to allow to see it better.

And suddenly, the fog lifted!
Thanks for the repeat info. I think I get it now. Can't wait to get out in the garage again.

If you are like Rusty Rod, (who can lift a distributor straight out of the engine, and immediately put it straight back in and have it 180 degrees out), make sure that the distributor is not 180 out.

Hey again! I tried pulling #1 plug, cranking until the cylinder came up TDC. I then looked at the flywheel and was relieved to see the timing mark right where it should be. I put #1 plug wire back on cap where the rotor was pointing, along with the other plug wires in proper order. I went through a process of trying to start the engine, then rechecking the rotor, points, and gap, and making slight adjustments. I had almost drained the battery when the engine caught and ran! While it was running I loosened the distrib clamp screw and tried turning the distrib housing, slightly, to see if I could get a 'smoother' run, but I still had regular little backfires. The slower the idle the more backfires. When we talk about 180 degrees out, what exactly does that mean, and how do you fix it? (I also tightened up the vacuum line to the wipers. Where would other vac lines be?) What else can you tell me to get the smooth, low rev idle, without backfire, that I'm working towards? Thanks!

"Climbing the mountain one step at a time."

180 degrees out means the rotor is pointing at plug wire six position when it should be at the number one position. It't won't run at all 180 out. You should have a vacuum line to the distributor, I believe you mentioned earlier that it came from the carb.

on timing,,no 1 plug out turn over with starter until comp on 1 align timing mark on flywheel locate rotor pos in dist make sure it is on 1,,loosen dist then with ing on retard dist(turn the way rotor turns)) then adv(turn into the rotor)) until no 1 plug wire sparks,,, you are timed.... doc

GMC--- Here is the way it works.
Starting with the #1 piston at TDC compression stroke. The spark plug has just fired and the fuel in the cylender burned, piston go's down, exhaust valve opens and piston starts back up pushing the burned fuel out of the valve, the piston nears TDC again and the intake valve opens, the piston go's down and sucks in freash fuel, it reaches bottom and the intake valve closes, now with both valves closed the piston compresses (compression stroke) the freash fuel and when nearing TDC the spark plug fires and starts the process all over again.
It is critical that you are on the compression stroke to properly position the wires on the cap.

GMC53,

The timing issue has been described in this thread several times, several different ways, so I won't muddy the waters.

In regards to the backfire, timing isn't the only suspect here. Depending on how long your truck sat, valves could be an issue as well as plugs and wires.

Continue on your quest for perfect timing and hopefully all will be resolved.

Stuart

If you can get it to fire up again, let it run, no matter how rough it is. You need to get some run time on it! Once it runs a bit and gets a little warm, then start to monkey with the distributor. Turn it till the idle smooths out, it may not cure all the problems, but you can get it close. Next is the carburator, check the idle mixture screw, run it in a bit and back out till you are happy with the idle. To far in will lean it out, to far out will richen it up, 1 1/2 to 2 turns is about normal. Joe