First time I have hooked up the timing light on this car. And amazed to find that timing has been retarded as far as possible (maybe 35 BTDC) So I turn the distributor all the way in the other direction, and I can only get to 12 (BTDC) Seems very odd that I can't get the timing up to TDC, much less advance it. Any ideas? Tested car in Neutral after a 30 minute drive with distributor hose plugged. Also tried reconnecting distributor hose and that didn't affect timing.

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God took you away, then brought you back to me.

There is another bolt, under the distributer that will need to be loosened and the bracket moved so you can get to TDC. You'll have to remove the dist. to get to it.

Or the distributor could be off a tooth.......

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Ed
64 Valiant 225 / 904 / 42:1 manual steering / 9" drum brakes

You needn't remove the distributor if you have a Slant-6 distributor wrench, Vim # V-103.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

Wow. I wonder who decided taking the engine to 35 BTDC was a good idea. Good enough to take the time to remove the distributor and re position the plate? (because I doubt anyone who has the tool Dan referred to would retard the timing that radically) I have seen a great number of people claiming 10 BTDC is a great place to run the Slant Six, so 12 BTDC doesn't seem so bad. But having said that, I'm going to do a search on timing because I don't understand its relationship to all the other elements of tuning well enough. Thanks for the quick replys!

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God took you away, then brought you back to me.

I'll bet $1 that the damper has slipped and the timing marks are off.

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Joshua

It doesn't work this way. There is no one-setting-works-great for all slant-6s. There are so many different distributors and engine configurations — the only "pat" settings that can be quoted are the factory specs for any given year/model/engine/transmission/emissions package, and the target base timing setting to shoot for when dialling-in the advance curves. "Set it at 10°, that works great!" is sloppy/lazy advice unless it is knowingly given in the context of a specific engine/distributor configuration.

You say you find the distributor retarded as far as possible, but 35° B-for-Before TDC is too far advanced. Which is it? 35° A-for-After TDC, maybe?

Josh has an excellent point — before you go further, check the accuracy of the timing mark by finding actual TDC (straightened-out coat hanger wire in the frontmost spark plug hole, engine turned by hand until the wire stops moving upward/outward, look at timing mark; if it's not visible at all rotate the engine until the wire goes down/in and then back up/out and stops again and look again).

Emsvitil also has an excellent point: if your timing is really that far off, it suggests the distributor isn't installed correctly. See here.

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一期一会
Too many people who were born on third base actually believe they've hit a triple.

I see your dollar and raise you one - I agree

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Regards,
Fanie Gerber
It's never junk, it's just a part you're not currently using

http://www.valiant50.co.za
Just say I own a few Mopars

The timing mark on my 1975 Valiant was so oil soaked it was off like 90 degrees. I could never really use a timing light on that engine.

Hi 75,

What Dan says is so solid I am gonna paste a piece in here:

"check the accuracy of the timing mark by finding actual TDC (straightened-out coat hanger wire in the frontmost spark plug hole, engine turned by hand until the wire stops moving upward/outward, look at timing mark; if it's not visible at all rotate the engine until the wire goes down/in and then back up/out and stops again and look again). "

You wanna set timing? Well quit screwing around with a dizzy and get your engine set to TDC FIRST. mark it and then you will always be able to adjust. If you mess with your slant much, you will HAVE to know how to fine TDC on number one, and it is really as easy as changing a plug. You can advance (heh heh) your skill a lot too by pulling the valve cover (get a gasket first) and watching the valves on number one when you really have TDC. This is an essential skill and you will do it over and over.

rock
'64d100

Point taken. And thanks
I was planning to do valve lash anyway. Perfect opportunity

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God took you away, then brought you back to me.