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[Beetleboi -Greg-]

Ok, should be over Thursday. What time do you get home? I need help getting Mildred timed. I'm hoping that the timing issue is why it takes her so long to turn over. Does the Rotor only point to the No 1 cylinder once in it's cycle? So If the Rotor is pointing to no. 1 the motor has to be at TDC? Unless it's 180 off.

I just wish I wasn't afraid to do things like this on my own. Calibrating stuff scares the chit out of me. I'd much rather work on brakes, or bolt on repairs. I also haven't done a valve job in 3 or 4 years. =-/ Maybe longer?

[grungeant (Anthony)]

Does the Rotor only point to the No 1 cylinder once in it's cycle? So If the Rotor is pointing to no. 1 the motor has to be at TDC? Unless it's 180 off.

In theory on an engine that starts and runs and had the distributor put in right, yes.

If you pop your distributor cap off and rotate the engine by hand until the rotor points towards the #1 mark in the distributor. Then look at your timing scale and turn the engine until the timing mark points to 0, that should be top dead center. With the rotor pointing towards #1 you should already be very close to the 0 mark.

[Beetleboi -Greg-]

If you spin the dizzy counter clockwise and nothing happens, should you go clockwise until the light goes on and then off and then go counter clockwise till it goes on and then off again? I just think it's so far off that when I go to time it the test light won't even be on.

[grungeant (Anthony)]

You don't use a timing light to find TDC when you turn the engine by hand.
If your engine is timed so far off the timing scale that you can't see it when the test light flashes I would think you would either have no power or you would have blown your engine up, and probably have some bad back firing along the way too.

As far as finding TDC to adjust valves you don't turn the distributor. You turn the engine. The rotor pointing to #1 is only a reference point to get you close. Then you fine tune it to get it dead on by using the timing scale. It doesn't matter how far off your ignition timing is set. TDC for your piston will still be TDC for your valves no matter when or where the spark plug is firing.

[Baha (Shawn)]

I believe he means a test light (I hope)

[grungeant (Anthony)]

Me? I assumed Greg meant timing light.
Maybe I'm lost? I've never used a test light to find TDC.

[Beetleboi -Greg-]

test light, sorry. =-)

[grungeant (Anthony)]

I believe he means a test light (I hope)

test light, sorry. =-)

Ok, I'm lost.
What do you do with the test light, and is it to find TDC?

[rich67vw]

takes longer to read this post than to set the timing on an engine 

[Bob(Herbie)]

Easy Peasy!

Ok, I'm lost.
What do you do with the test light, and is it to find TDC?

turn the engine till  rotor points to #1 wire on cap. Hook test light clip to distributor side of coil. ground the other end. Turn on the key. Rotate the engine until test light lights. Mark on crank pulley should line up with the left edge of the small block on the left side of the engine case. If not, loosen the 10mm nut on the dist clamp and turn the dist to make things line up and turn on the light at the proper rotation of the crankshaft. This is the way I was taught to time a V-Dub engine by a German trained mechanic way back in the '70s If I remember the engine should now be set at 71/2 degrees before top dead center "TDC"   

[Bob(Herbie)]

takes longer to read this post than to set the timing on an engine 

I had a speed reading class in Senior year 1968 so no biggy if I remember how? 

[grungeant (Anthony)]

Easy Peasy! turn the engine till  rotor points to #1 wire on cap. Hook test light clip to distributor side of coil. ground the other end. Turn on the key. Rotate the engine until test light lights. Mark on crank pulley should line up with the left edge of the small block on the left side of the engine case. If not, loosen the 10mm nut on the dist clamp and turn the dist to make things line up and turn on the light at the proper rotation of the crankshaft. This is the way I was taught to time a V-Dub engine by a German trained mechanic way back in the '70s If I remember the engine should now be set at 71/2 degrees before top dead center "TDC"   

Hmmm, I never heard that. That's pretty neat for someone that doesn't have a timing light.
Is that Type I only? And wouldn't it only work with points?

[rich67vw]

my grandpop would time his gm cars sometimes that way in his shop Many times, he timed by sound and would bet me to see how accurate he was checked by a timing light

i lost most times 

[Bob(Herbie)]

Hmmm, I never heard that. That's pretty neat for someone that doesn't have a timing light.
Is that Type I only? And wouldn't it only work with points?

Type 1, 2, and 3 points only. Way back then we only needed a timing light to check distributor mechanical, vacuum and total advance on V-Dubs if there was a hesitation. In the '50s and early '60s timing lights were dim and difficult to read. That is why for all cars we were always wiping the timing marks and painting them white!