WHYDTYTT: What Have You Done To Your Truck Today?

[JG2020]

Base timing should be whatever the sticker says.

Adjusting the curve on a chevy distributor is a lot simpler that a DSII distributor

Chalking the timing marks helps a lot, to see them.

Happy Sunday! I cleaned off the timing gauge today. I can't for the life of me find the scribed tdc mark.

I found TDC again by taking the #1 plug out and watching the piston come to the top of it's travel. I marked the spot on the pully with nail polish.

The other gauge on the timing cover I thought I read is not to be used but the notch is pointing to 3 on that.

 

So from here I should make a mark at 10 degrees btdc and set that with the timing light and vacuum to dizzy plugged ?

What the heck is the hole in the gauge for?

Thanks again!

 

[JG2020]

Happy Sunday! I cleaned off the timing gauge today. I can't for the life of me find the scribed tdc mark.

I found TDC again by taking the #1 plug out and watching the piston come to the top of it's travel. I marked the spot on the pully with nail polish.

The other gauge on the timing cover I thought I read is not to be used but the notch is pointing to 3 on that.

 

So from here I should make a mark at 10 degrees btdc and set that with the timing light and vacuum to dizzy plugged ?

What the heck is the hole in the gauge for?

Thanks again!

Also Jim, I found a method to check the diodes using the battery. Not sure it's correct. The method was using the AC setting on the multimeter and then connecting it to the battery. If it read anything other than zero then a diode was bad.

I will try your method today so. Strangely I was getting 14.10 at idle today. But then it dropped to 13.8 with no change with increased RPM.

[ArdWrknTrk]

Also Jim, I found a method to check the diodes using the battery. Not sure it's correct. The method was using the AC setting on the multimeter and then connecting it to the battery. If it read anything other than zero then a diode was bad.

I will try your method today so. Strangely I was getting 14.10 at idle today. But then it dropped to 13.8 with no change with increased RPM.

I. Need to be certain it is TDC on compression, not exhaust.

So it is suggested you hold your finger over the plug hole when using a stick or dial indicator.

The diode setting on the meter ensures there is 'pressure' against the diodes.

If the regulator recognizes that the battery is topped up, it should drop off charging current.

It's basically a comparator.

[JG2020]

I. Need to be certain it is TDC on compression, not exhaust.So it is suggested you hold your finger over the plug hole when using a stick or dial indicator.The diode setting on the meter ensures there is 'pressure' against the diodes.If the regulator recognizes that the battery is topped up, it should drop off charging current.It's basically a comparator.

Yep, I verified the compression stroke with a long screw driver and then I looked in the spark plugs hole also while turning the motor back and forth and watched the piston. 

 

On Sun, Sep 13, 2020, 1:32 PM ArdWrknTrk [via Bullnose Enthusiasts] <redacted_email_address> wrote:

 

 

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

But there are two TDC events.

Are you suggesting you could see both valves on their seats through the spark plug hole???

[JG2020]

But there are two TDC events.Are you suggesting you could see both valves on their seats through the spark plug hole???

Oh no, I am not. Usually on a vw I verify with the valve cover off. I thought when the rotor was pointing to #1 plug and the piston was at the top of it's movement that would be tdc for that piston . 

 

 

Sorry for the confusion.

 

On Sun, Sep 13, 2020, 1:49 PM ArdWrknTrk [via Bullnose Enthusiasts] <redacted_email_address> wrote:

 

 

 

 

 

[ArdWrknTrk]

Yes, the distributor is driven off the cam, and there is no 'wasted spark'

I did not get that you were watching the rotor.

[Sac79]

Happy Sunday! I cleaned off the timing gauge today. I can't for the life of me find the scribed tdc mark.

What the heck is the hole in the gauge for?

Have you tried lying underneath the truck and feeling for the scribed mark? You're probably close with where you made the polish mark since you've already got the truck running.

I'm curious what the hole is for too, maybe David or Dave can enlighten us?

I haven't set my timing with a light yet either. I found the process a real pain with the spinning fan right where I was trying to position the light. I have a second belt on the alternator forcing me closer to the fan. I think my timing was too retarded when I checked it, hence why I couldn't see the mark. Good luck with yours!

[85lebaront2]

Happy Sunday! I cleaned off the timing gauge today. I can't for the life of me find the scribed tdc mark.

What the heck is the hole in the gauge for?

Have you tried lying underneath the truck and feeling for the scribed mark? You're probably close with where you made the polish mark since you've already got the truck running.

I'm curious what the hole is for too, maybe David or Dave can enlighten us?

I haven't set my timing with a light yet either. I found the process a real pain with the spinning fan right where I was trying to position the light. I have a second belt on the alternator forcing me closer to the fan. I think my timing was too retarded when I checked it, hence why I couldn't see the mark. Good luck with yours!

The hole is used for a magnetic pickup on some diagnostic analyzers. It triggers on the slot in the balancer. The analyzers come with an offset chart, that value has to be set into the analyzer so the actual timing advance is displayed.

[Sac79]

The hole is used for a magnetic pickup on some diagnostic analyzers. It triggers on the slot in the balancer. The analyzers come with an offset chart, that value has to be set into the analyzer so the actual timing advance is displayed.

Thanks Bill, explains the slot too...