Hello,
this is a question which perhaps someone will have an easy solution to:

While attempting to time the engine , I followed the vintage Chilton manual I have and the instructions eventually get to the part telling me to :"turn the distributor until TDC is acheived"
I am finding the necessary distributor adjustment cannot be reached before I reach the limit of travel. I know that there is yet another adjustment under the locking plate under the distributor, however before I do this I found that timing by ear , i.e. when the engine smoothed out, produced favorable results, idle and drivability, but this just doesnt sit right with me.
Thank-you for your comments

Are you trying to get TDC while the engine is running? if so, that's not right...

If you are setting your initial setting to TDC... then you'll have to check by the 'feel' method... aka pull plug # 1 put finger into/over the plug hole... have a buddy help run it up until the compression blows your finger off the hole (may do this for a few dergees of crank rotation)...once it stops, check the line on your timing cover and harmonic damper (assuming the damper hasn't slipped... and also assuming that the timing chain isn't tanked either...)... if they line up... check your distributor and make sure the rotor is lined up under the #1 plug tower, and your reluctor/bumper/breaker is propery lined up... then that should set base timing to TDC...

-D.Idiot

Im assuming you've already done what D.Idiot said and you just can't get the mark to land on TDC.

If you're advanced by a little bit, say 5* BTDC, you should be good to go and your engine will probably run a little worse at TDC.

If you're dead set on hitting TDC with the timing light, you may want to try picking up the distributor and turning it a tooth and seeing if you can land on your desired mark. If that doesn't work and the mark goes too far the other way, only then would you have to pull the distributor and use the 2nd adjustment on the bottom of it to get it to land where you want.

Thanks guys, maybe im being thick headed, with the engine running, using the timing light what am i supposed to be looking for in degrees BTDC ?
thanks

Most Slants run the best with the initial timing set somewhere between 5 and 10 degrees Before TDC (BTDC)

As a general rule, most owners will try more and more timing advance until they hear "pinging" (spark knock) and then retard the timing 2 or 3 degrees to get rid of the pings.
DD

If you are using a dial back timing light, then you should be able to dial the knob up until the damper line hits the TDC line on the timing cover... (if the damper has slipped then it's tanked and needs a replacement)

If using a standard timing light (the static/old one...) then you'll need timing tape to read what number the advance is at...

-D.Idiot

thanks, got it now