Timing Not Advancing

[friskyfrankie]

ALL the plugs ok? Have you pulled all of them to check for condition?

[87GrandMarq]

I haven’t had the time but have Monday and Tuesday off to check. The thing that gets me is that it doesn’t feel like a misfire. I could be wrong though so the suggestions are welcome. I’m going to swap plug wires too because they look old. Some have some brown spots on them like they got really hot. And I’m going to check the timing again. To be sure, the timing mark I’m looking for is supposed to line up with the right side of the bracket? I don’t have a pic of the bracket on me.

[friskyfrankie]

I haven’t had the time but have Monday and Tuesday off to check. The thing that gets me is that it doesn’t feel like a misfire. I could be wrong though so the suggestions are welcome. I’m going to swap plug wires too because they look old. Some have some brown spots on them like they got really hot. And I’m going to check the timing again. To be sure, the timing mark I’m looking for is supposed to line up with the right side of the bracket? I don’t have a pic of the bracket on me.

Good ideas! Make sure of the routing if you decide to replace the spark plug wires.

[gadget73]

it should line up with the flat on the pointer, whichever side you determine that to be based on where you are standing.

https://www.lincolnsonline.com/tech/00166_4.jpg

[87GrandMarq]

Finally had some time to mess with it. I checked the timing but this time I had a paint pen so I could mark 10* and 12* btdc. It was wayyyy off like close to 0*. I set it to 12* but got some spark knock so I backed it down to 10* and it’s much better. It’ll actually spin the tires now. I’ve never had to adjust the timing on a small block before. It’s a lot easier than I thought but it was a pain getting to the distributor hold down bolt.

[Mainemantom]

There is a special wrench specifically made for the distributor hold down. Mine is a Proto #6542. For a 1/2 inch nut.
Mine is at least 25 years old.

[gadget73]

I just use an extension and a flex joint at the socket. I have one of those distributor wrenches somewhere but its 9/16 for a Chevy.

[87GrandMarq]

I’m definitely getting the right tool in case I need it in the future. I don’t have all my tools at my apartment so I have to use what I have on hand. I ended up using a 1/4” ratchet with a 1/2” bit and snaked my hand behind the alternator to get to that bolt!

[DerekTheGreat]

I just use an extension and a flex joint at the socket. I have one of those distributor wrenches somewhere but its 9/16 for a Chevy.

Ditto on both counts. Although that wrench was completely useless for me, an extension with a crow's foot socket works much better.

[gadget73]

I don't know that I've ever actually used it, I just know I have it somewhere. The vast bulk of my Chevy timing experience is on marine engines which have a ton of space behind them, and a common open end wrench is all you need. Heck, at least half of them were done not even in the boat, we used to assemble and test run them in the shop before they ever went in. Complete piece of cake when you can literally walk around the engine to access things.

[DerekTheGreat]

Like, literally? Yeah dude, literally. Go find it in a book and there it is, literific.

I have much disdain for that word, the single most over and misused word in the English language today.

[sly]

This is the dizzy wrench I have and have used when setting timing on chevy 305 as well as the ford 302 engines I've dealt with.

https://www.autozone.com/wrenches-pliers-and-cutters/wrench/p/duralast-1-2in-and-9-16in-distributor-clamp-wrench-set-2-piece/914110_0_0

[Arquemann]

I've used a ratcheting flex-head wrench for my needs. Though I press down on the wrench on the bolt with a ratchet handle or such to keep it popping off.

[87GrandMarq]

Sly I’ll have to pick up a set of those now!

[gadget73]

Like, literally? Yeah dude, literally. Go find it in a book and there it is, literific.

I have much disdain for that word, the single most over and misused word in the English language today.

I use literally to mean literally, not to mean figuratively which seems to be what people usually mean when they use that word. Yes, its grossly misused and I hate it.