Well, from my previous post about the spark plugs blowing up, I had to take off the head. But that was okay with me, as I believed the timing tab was at the wrong side of the engine. So today I took off this:



from the driver side, to move it to the passenger side. But I see that won't fit over there.

Here is where I am at right now:



I am trying to get to TDC, and I got it this close. The piston is on it's way up. So then I just needed to move the nut, to get it up to TDC.


Then I saw this:



There is no nut in there. When I saw that, I realized this problem was pretty great instead of bad. As I had no idea that bolt was missing. But the guy who put this engine together before we bought it, didn't fix that timing tab place. So they were worse of a mechanic than me.

Do you agree TDC should be real close, and the timing mark be just a tiny bit above where it is now, instead of around 01:00?

But more important - I am sure I can probably get the nut from OSH, however, I have no idea what size to get. Does anyone know what size to get?

Also, look at the distributor. I think my timing was off quite a bit, looking at that.

Dude,if your talkin about the BOLT that goes in the balancer most slants didn't have one is my understanding.The balancer is a tension fit sort of pressed on.Your not at TDC looking at the piston and the dizzy rotor is like 180 out where it's pointing in the picture.I don't see a timing mark on the your balancer in pic but then I'm old and 1/2-3/4 blind.The balancer weight on my slant vans are way bigger and hang in front of pulley with a nice timing mark like a 1/2 inch front to back.I'm sure the van/truck and year of motor are different from your rig, don't know what the changes were over the years/models.Somebody will chime in with helpful hints,good luck

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83 B-150 slant 6,4 speed. 79 B-300 360 pathfinder 4x4. 74 W-300 318 4x4 git-r-done 80 B-100 sl6,4speed

You didn't get what people have said, you need to get another timing cover with the timing marks tab still attached with matching damper balancer.

The piston at TDC with crank precisely at 0 deg. The way is to use piston stop and a cam centerline wheel in degrees to find the exact center of the crank for the cyl 1.

Cheers, Wizard

No bolt in there? So how do I move it to get to TDC? And where can I get a cover with a matching timing tab? My thinking at this point is, I somehow get it to TDC and then mark the balancer where it is 0 on the timing tab at the other side of the engine. And time it that way. The problem is, getting it to exactly TDC from this point. Remember, I am not a mechanic. And that centerline wheel is a mystery to me.

And yes, I may be 180 degrees off my timing. At this point, I could even assume the mark is about 10 degrees btdc, and put my rotor to cylinder 1. I would still be guessing on timing. But at least I am closer in the ballpark.

Hang on a sec everyone.

(1) The slant six had several different vibration dampener/timing chain cover/timing tab combinations over the years. It looks like 63 dart dude has the early style where the timing tab is attached by a bolt and is read from the driver's side. You canot move it to the passenger side unless you change your timing chain cover and your vibration dampener. The tab location and dampener must match, otherwise you will not have an accurate reading of where the timing mark is.

(2) Put the timing tab back into the timing cover. It bolts to the lowet bolt on the driver's side of the front of the timing chain cover.

(3) You are very close to TDC, but you might be at the WRONG TDC. Remember, slant sixes are four stroke engines. THis means that as it goes through the intake-compression-power-exhaust cycle the piston goes to TDC twice. From the area where your rotor is pointing it looks like you have the #1 piston coming up to TDC on the exhaust stroke instead of the compression stroke. You want the piston to be at TDC on the compression stroke. Rotate the crank 360 degrees so the #1 piston is at TDC on the compression stroke.

To make sure you have the piston on the compression stroke, watch the lifters in the lifter gallery for the #1 piston. Sine you are on the exhaust stroke, the lifter at the very front of the engine should be sticking up higher than the one immediately behind it. As you rotate the motor you should see the frontmost lifter lower a bit and then the lifter behind it move up and then down. As the #1 piston comes up on the compression stroke, the second lifter should go down and then there should be no lifter movement.

(4) You should be able to turn the motor by hand using the fan belt. Most slants didn't come with the crank snout bolt, but you can use the ones that came in smallblock v-8s.

(5) As the #1 piston comes back up on the TDC stroke, watch your distributor rotor and your timing mark. The rotor should start to point roughly to the vacuum advance pod on the distributor and the timing mark should be visible on the driver's side of the motor near the timing tab.

(6) Rotate the motor until the pistin is at the very top of its range of motion. Now, using whiteout or white paint, make a small mark on the vibration dampener next to the "0" on the tmiing tab. If you are lucky, your tmiing mark will be lined up next to the 0. Most likely, your dampener has slipped and the timing mark is no longer accurate. That okay. If the piston is at TDC then your white-out/paint mark will be your new timing mark.

(7) Button the motor back up and reset the base timing using your new and accurate timing mark.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

My other thought - would it hurt to go buy a few bolts, to see if I can find one that fits - have it about .5 inch long. Tighten it, and then tighten it more to move the crank?

I wasn't aware it could be the exhaust stroke. Dropping in the push rods I can see which lifter is up at this point. If it is the exhaust one, I know what to do to get it to the correct stroke. Great tip there.

As for turning it with the fan - no can do. The alternator bracket is attached to the head. Once I removed the head, and that bracket from the head, the fan belt is loose. At this point, it is totally off.

I put the timing tab back on, but it doesn't bolt to the cover. I just went out to take a photo - dead battery. But trust me, take a look at that timing tab, and you will see that it angles up. The timing cover is completely to the left. As a matter of fact, see how deep that is? That is because it doesn't hit the timing cover.

And yes, that would explain why my timing looks 180 degrees off.

And I have no idea what size bolt the small V8 had, but if I understood you correctly, if I find the right bolt, I could use it.

Went out and did the remote starter. This time it is REALLY close to True TDC. I will post a photo later, after the battery charges.

But now it sits with the piston real close to the top. I put the push rods in, since I couldn't see the lifters. The input push rod was slightly higher than the output. The timing mark is in the NOON position. The timing tab is in place on the drivers side, and 0 is at the 02:00 position. And the rotor right now is in the 05:00 position. So my timing is probably pretty close to right on, which would explain why it seemed to be running fine, before the screw head started taking out plugs.

I looked at Summit. They sell the timing chains and gaskets. But no cover. I see a used one on Ebeg, but don't know if that would work.

Use piston stop and turn gently till stopped, mark at a homemade wire pointer, rotate other way gently till stopped, mark again, the two marks between halfway is the true 0 degree on the crank.

Vertify that please.

Cheers, Wizard

This would work if

(a) he had a head on the motor

(b) he could turn the motor over by hand

You should be able to find a smallblock motor in a junkyard, but you will need to get the right size socket. It is 1 1/4 I believe.

You are in luck! EricW has a 64(?) slant motor at my place right now and I was able to take a picture of how your timing tab is supposed to mount:



The timing marks obviously stick out from the motor and over the vibration dampener.

Also, the timing mark on those early motor vibration dampeners is *very* small. Make sure you are actually looking at the timing mark and not some random bit of paint on the dampener.

You should be able to tighten up the lower alternator bracket mounting bolts and then tighten the lower alternator bolt and be able to turn the motor over with the fan bet. Without the head on the engine it should turn fairly easily.

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Casually looking for a Clifford hyperpak intake for cheap.

63 Dude, why do you need a new timing cover? you show one on the motor in your posted pictures, and you also have the correct timming tab, And Reeds post was right on. That tab is shaped the way it is so when you bolt into the cover it is in position to be correct.

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63 Dart Convert. 39 Plymouth Hotrod Hemi, Cushman scooters,

I think this close up will show you the timing marks. Look just above the white mark, and you can see a cut. And across on the other side is a cut.

I wrote to the Ebay guy and asked where his timing cover has the timing tab. If it comes back for the 1100 position, I will probably get that. As the timing sits right now, as I wrote the mark is at noon. However, when I did the remote starter, I did notice it hit TDC, and then came down a tiny bit. Meaning, TDC should be around the 1100 position.

I stand corrected, thanks to that photo that the timing tab does attach to the cover. I just didn't know the cover extended out flat like that. To me, I pulled the bolt out of the block. Again, I am not real experienced in this area. I surprise my family since I took this all apart.

I'll see about working with the alternator bracket tomorrow after work, for a little bit.

Yes, get a 3/4" bolt, fine thread (1-1/8" head).
More Info

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'81 D150 with "Lean Burn"

Cool, thanks. I guess I will go that way. But I do know I have to use that remote starter again, to try to stop it before TDC, since I can only turn it one way.

63Dude wrote:I wrote to the Ebay guy and asked where his timing cover has the timing tab. If it comes back for the 1100 position, I will probably get that. As the timing sits right now, as I wrote the mark is at noon. However, when I did the remote starter, I did notice it hit TDC, and then came down a tiny bit. Meaning, TDC should be around the 1100 position.

Can some one straighten me out on this if the mark is at 11 oclock isin't that 180 out or in the exhaust stroke? (since the timing tab is at 5 o'clock) I still can't figure out why he would need a new (different) chain cover, have I missed something here?
Wayne

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63 Dart Convert. 39 Plymouth Hotrod Hemi, Cushman scooters,