The Stovebolt Site Forums The Shop Area The Electrical Bay 216 timing trouble

I have a problem and need some help.I recently tried timing my 1951 216 engine.For some reason unknown to me,the timing light will not blink hooked up to number one plug wire.Every plug wire has spark to them.I hooked the timing light up to number 2 plug wire and the timing light works.The engine has a new cap,rotor and points.I changed number one plug wire to see if that was the problem,still no luck.Do you guys and gals know what my problem could be ?

I can,t imagine why. Hook it up to number 6. It is the same marks as number 1.

George,how can number six and one use the same marks ? Can you explain why ?
Thanks !!

bowtietim,

In a few words....same place, different time! Number six is at the top of the exhaust stroke when number one is at the top of the compression stroke....but don't tell the timing light.

Stuart

Doesn't matter Tim, timing will be the same whether you use one or six. It will be 360 degrees of crankshaft and 180 degrees of camshaft travel difference, but the timing will be the same and the timing light won't care, because six is at TDC and firing at that time.

The flywheel (with the timing mark on it) turns two full rotations in firing the 6 cylinders, The firing order is 1-5-3-6-2-4, so 6 fires at the same flywheel mark as 1.

Thanks for all of the valuable information.I understand now,what you are saying.I'm heading out to the garrage and set the timing.I'm still confused about number one,could the spark plug be causing the problem ?

bowtietim,

I just timed a 235 a few hours ago. I used a advance timing light with a inductive pickup.

I didn't work as well as the old conventional style where you attach the lead directly to the wire at the plug.

Maybe if the plug were to fire "too easily" for some reason, the high voltage wouldn't spike as high, which might not trigger the strobe....who knows?

Stuart

Problem solved,number one spark plug was dead.I changed it and timed it just fine using number one wire.I am using the inductive pickup type light,it worked.Thanks again for all of the help,i'm going for a ride now.

You are correct - no plug firing means that there is no path for the current to follow, and no current for the inductive light to "pick up." Either the coil will remain saturated for that interval or the current will be redirected to an adjacent terminal on the distributor cap.

firing order is,,,1-5-3-6-2-4

Thanks for the correction. Either dyslexia or bourbon is to blame. :rolleyes: (I have corrected/edited the firing order above).

I,m glad they explained it. I know why but would have a hard time explaneing it.

I took a nap saturday,and when i woke up,something said"check the spark plug". I knew i had spark in the wire but failed to take it a little further.