Basic “how-to” timing

Mike Schofield

True Classic
Ok, since I’m lazy and don’t want to weed through hundreds of posts to find out how to roughly time my 82’ 1500 motor, I was hoping for some tips and tricks from the expertise of our members….
I find my motor runs well in higher rpms but idling and low rpms it does not seem to like. I had attributed this to the type of engines but am thinking accurate timing might help…
 
To roughly time a FI car, put the engine at TDC. I remove the cover inside the spare tire compartment to have easy access and view of the distributor.

Pop the distributor cap. Does the rotor point to number 4 and the screw below on the side of the distributor body? If no, then rotate the engine one revolution, does the rotor point roughly to #4 now?

If it is roughly pointed to #4, loosen the distributor hold down and rotate the body to have the center of the rotor contact point to the screw on the side of the distributor body. Tighten the hold down.

Start the engine and attach your timing light to the #4 plug wire. You should find that the light will be very nearly on 10° BTDC. If not adjust the distributor by loosening the hold down and wearing gloves, move the body a small amount to the left or right to bring the mark to 10°BTDC.

Go drive the car to fully warm it up and then let it idle and check it again, preferably with the cooling fan running.

That is how I do it but I am no expert.

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This is the official process:

And both my approach and the above approach assume your engines mechanical timing is correct, the process to making that also correct is here and it works very well:

As they say, if you have difficult job, give it to a lazy man as they will find a way to get it done in the easiest possible way.

I am that lazy man.
 
I only attempt static timing when installing a dizzy. If the dizzy is already installed and the motor runs then I just do the timing light thing to get it where I want it.
 
To roughly time a FI car, put the engine at TDC. I remove the cover inside the spare tire compartment to have easy access and view of the distributor.

Pop the distributor cap. Does the rotor point to number 4 and the screw below on the side of the distributor body? If no, then rotate the engine one revolution, does the rotor point roughly to #4 now?

If it is roughly pointed to #4, loosen the distributor hold down and rotate the body to have the center of the rotor contact point to the screw on the side of the distributor body. Tighten the hold down.

Start the engine and attach your timing light to the #4 plug wire. You should find that the light will be very nearly on 10° BTDC. If not adjust the distributor by loosening the hold down and wearing gloves, move the body a small amount to the left or right to bring the mark to 10°BTDC.

Go drive the car to fully warm it up and then let it idle and check it again, preferably with the cooling fan running.

That is how I do it but I am no expert.

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Awesome! And pictures too?!? Thanks!
 
Does this require the removal of the timing belt cover?
To do your base set up if your flywheel is installed 180 out, there is the timing mark for TDC on the seal cover at the cam belt end of the engine. This requires removing the crank pulley to see.
 
No, my flywheel was installed 180 degrees out of sync so I used the timing marks in the lower half of the engine. Best to see them by pulling off y ythe rear passenger tire.
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My issue with this is the quadrant in a lovely gold color, is screwed on and may not be in the correct position. Verifying with the TDC mark on the seal carrier and the flywheel to then ensure the position of the timing quadrant is correct.
 
My issue with this is the quadrant in a lovely gold color, is screwed on and may not be in the correct position. Verifying with the TDC mark on the seal carrier and the flywheel to then ensure the position of the timing quadrant is correct.
Understood, I confirmed my mark on the pulley was good by also reading off the flywheel but since my flywheel is 180 degrees out of sync, I had to use one of the spark plug wires that was also 180 out of sync with the timing gun. I was under the impression the pulley wheel was locked somehow into position with the crank and the timing indicator arm with marks (quadrant?) would also be locked into place. Are you saying these have some play in them?
 
Understood, I confirmed my mark on the pulley was good by also reading off the flywheel but since my flywheel is 180 degrees out of sync, I had to use one of the spark plug wires that was also 180 out of sync with the timing gun. I was under the impression the pulley wheel was locked somehow into position with the crank and the timing indicator arm with marks (quadrant?) would also be locked into place. Are you saying these have some play in them?
The gold timing marker thing is adjustable so it can be calibrated. I calibrated mine off the timing marks on the flywheel.
 
Understood, I confirmed my mark on the pulley was good by also reading off the flywheel but since my flywheel is 180 degrees out of sync, I had to use one of the spark plug wires that was also 180 out of sync with the timing gun. I was under the impression the pulley wheel was locked somehow into position with the crank and the timing indicator arm with marks (quadrant?) would also be locked into place. Are you saying these have some play in them?
The quadrant certainly does. The ones of the plastic cover (on some cars) aren’t adjustable but they are also likely to show some level of variation.

I am lucky so far in that my cars have the flywheel in the right spot…
 
Thanks so much for everyone’s input! Definitely would have lost (more) hair without your help. So far, I’ve confirmed that my static timing is good. Now I have to do the timing with my light…been a busy week with my kids activities and such so hopefully Friday night I’ll get a chance to take a look. I’ve been so tired of my X running like snot. 🤮 She likes high revs but bogs and misses at low rpms. I’ve literally changed or confirmed everything to do with the fuel injection and ignition so I’m hoping this is the missing piece. 🤞🏻
 
If you have a stock FI car, the factory spec timing is 10 degrees BTDC. It just so happens that the "earliest" timing marks on the notch scale and the bell housing are also 10 degrees BTDC.

Funny thing on my car is that currently, it seems to like 13 degrees BTDC noticeably better than 10 degrees BTDC, so that's where mine is. Home mechanic-level timing lights back in the day did not have an adjustment dial, but the more expensive ones that were marketed as professional or high performance had a dial that was meant to help you set timing advance to more than what you could with the factory scales and pointers, and also let you check distributor advance curves. The cool ones had the spark plug lead inductive clamp instead of using an extension that you installed on the plug--that was always a source of amusement when your buddy told you it was fine touch it while the engine was running :D🤣

These days I think even the cheapest one on Amazon has an inductive pickup and the advance dial.
 
If you have a stock FI car, the factory spec timing is 10 degrees BTDC. It just so happens that the "earliest" timing marks on the notch scale and the bell housing are also 10 degrees BTDC.

Funny thing on my car is that currently, it seems to like 13 degrees BTDC noticeably better than 10 degrees BTDC, so that's where mine is. Home mechanic-level timing lights back in the day did not have an adjustment dial, but the more expensive ones that were marketed as professional or high performance had a dial that was meant to help you set timing advance to more than what you could with the factory scales and pointers, and also let you check distributor advance curves. The cool ones had the spark plug lead inductive clamp instead of using an extension that you installed on the plug--that was always a source of amusement when your buddy told you it was fine touch it while the engine was running :D🤣

These days I think even the cheapest one on Amazon has an inductive pickup and the advance dial.
I picked up a used Craftsman light off eBay as I’m a whore for Craftsman tools especially “vintage” ones. I’ll see if it has any dials but it may not…
 
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