I've been reading some posts about timing. I'm convinced my six is out. I see the "tag" near the pulley. It has 4 lines and the bottom one has a 0 next to it. I can't make out any other #'s on the other lines. I don't have a harmonic balancer, only a pulley. It is a 1964 motor. I found a "nic" in the pulley which I believe is the mark. With the dist hose disconnected at the carb, I put a light on it. The mark is nowhere near the "tag". It is at the top of the pulley near the water pump. I had to go on the other side of the motor to find it. Where should it be? How can I move it with the little adj. I have on the dist. I think maybe my chain is stretched or something. Does this year have 2 bolts on the dist? Cause I can lift it out by removing the one on the right. I am thankful for any help.

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

I have been playing with the timing myself. You would be best to just pull the plugs out, pull dist. out, then turn engine with fan belt until the # 1 piston is at the top, then put dist. back in with rotor pointing at the #1 spot on the cap, put all plugs back in then. you should be close to correct timing. If your timing marks on the pulleys are still way off they may just have slipped through the years. if they are close pull out the timing light to set it rifght where you want it. If the marks are off no need to use the light just go trailand error to see what works best for you

The other adj. on the dist. are on the other side of the mounting plate where it mounts to the dist.

Good luck

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Brett A. Snell
1947 Ford Biz Coupe (disassembled)
1961 Nash Metropolitian
1968 Dodge Dart
1993 Mercedes Benz 500 SEL

I used to own a 64 Valiant and I had a bear of time trying to find the timing mark. Try this- run your fingernail around the edge of the vibration dampener until it catches in a groove tat runs the entire width of the dampener. THis is your timing mark. Clean the groove with a rag and then put some white-out in the groove to make it more visible. Now hook up a timing light and check your timing. If I remember right the lines on your timing tab correspond to 0, 2.5 degrees before top dead center, 5 BTDC, 7.5 BTDC and 10 BTDC. Most slants I hae come across run best at 10-12 BTDC static advance. Also, you should not have to disconnect the hose at the distributor to set your base timing. At idle the hose going to the distributor should not have any vacuum. If your timing changes at idle when you disconnect the hose then you have a problem either with your carb or your vacuum hose routing.

Reed

sixty4dartGT...

I just spent the last few days under the hood of my 65 Dart, and I can tell you that there is NOT a lot of play in the distributor. You are just better off bringing up #1 to TDC, then setting the rotor to #1, and wiring accordingly. If your 64 is anything like my 65, there isn't a truly separate balancer, just the double crank pulleys. And yes, the notch in the back pulley is the balancer mark, and the bottom line on the tab is 0 degrees. Good Luck.

Steve

There is a possibility that someone swapped-on a later dampener, 68 and later had a timing tab welded to the timing chain cover and the dampener's mark is in a different place. Is there any sign if blue paint on the unit?

The best way to find true TDC is by using a "positive stop". Find some 14 mm threaded rod and screw it into the spark plug hole of #1, briging the engine around until it hits and stops solid, mark the place on the damper where the tab "0" is.
Now rotate the engine back the other way until it stops again, mark that place where it lines up to "0". True TDC is 1/2 way between those two marks you made, measure carefully and see if you find a groove there, if no TDC groove, make one at the 1/2 way point.
Now time the engine by using your confirmed TDC mark.
DD

Positive stop sounds good where would i get 14 mm threaded rod? Would most auto stores carry it? What should the length be?

Thanks for any help?

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Brett A. Snell
1947 Ford Biz Coupe (disassembled)
1961 Nash Metropolitian
1968 Dodge Dart
1993 Mercedes Benz 500 SEL

Thanks a bunch for all of your help. Doug, once I get the "true" mark, where should the timimg be?

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

I just read the Doctor's post, definitely the way to start. Another way I just tried last Monday is to cut the crimped metal off the top of an old spark plug. This allows you to drive out the ceramic part. I found a piece of brass pipe about 4" long that fit tight in the upper bore of the plug, soldered in place then found a piece of metal rod that fit the lower bore of the spark plug a couple of inches longer. I cut a groove in the rod for a "C" ring. This eliminates the possibility of loosing the piece down in the engine and gives a place to measure from to the top of the pipe. Turn to where you think TDC is and measure how far the rod is pushed up with a caliper, move back and forth till you find the place that measures least. My timing notch was dead on but I needed to know for sure as I'm installing an MSD 8981 timing computer. The next thing I did was measure the 0 to 10 mark on the tab and used it to lay out a timing tape just 0 to 35 in 5 degree increments then struck each mark with a chisel though the tape permanently marking the pulley. I plan to post another message about "Locking out" the distributor as needed for the timing computer. I started it up tonight with no additional adjustments. After starting the idle RPM was exactly at 900, same as it was before the install... Timing light???? What for??? More to come, Bruce

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78b4ramSnortbed/6

Bruce has the right idea for making a positive stop, just bash the ceramic out of an old spark plug and tap the metal base for a bolt or piece of threaded stock. (tape over the spark plug's threads for some protection while you work)

As for the timing setting after you find true TDC, that is a trial & error thing, every engine is different. Most stock Slants, with good compression, running regular gas at around sea level can take 8 to 10 degrees initial with 30-32 total and as much as 48 to 52 degrees at light load cruze. (vacuum advance pulled-in)
DD

Its running!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

finally!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


Yeah!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Brett A. Snell
1947 Ford Biz Coupe (disassembled)
1961 Nash Metropolitian
1968 Dodge Dart
1993 Mercedes Benz 500 SEL

Well Thanks every one for the help. I couldn't get a rod or modified plug, so I used a screwdriver to find TDC. The "mark was off about an inch. I ended up timing it at about 12-15. Like Doc said, it was trial and error. Now onto the carb ...

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"Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to whom we must give account."

Rebuilding my carb now. One good thing about the Holley
It is simple, hopefully i can get it done.