I am today checking the static timing as I am not getting full power and it’s sluggish to accelerate. I have been going through all the faults on this “restored” purchase. Compressions are all around 130psi.
I marked the timing marks in white and got my old timing light connected to No1 Left.
You have to do this from underneath and I was surprised there was no sign of the timing mark on the crankshaft. So I checked where the rotor arm was pointing once static was set to 10 btdc and found it was pointing just before 3R!! So I checked the leads round the dizzy anti clockwise and this is the firing order:
3R 4R 1L 1R 4L 2L 2R 3L. All the leads have cable markers on them. I am trying to figure if he got the timing wrong way round but I can’t see how it just seems random?
I should add this has electronic ignition. I have now correctly configured the leads and re soldered the coil lead which came apart. Setting the rotor just before No1 left at 10 btdc it will not start - it pops a little.
So how to set timing just to get it going or has something else been changed that I don’t know about?
OK now for the explanation!! So I realised the plug leads had been marked with cable markers BUT the left and right sides were mixed up. So when I put my light on 1L it was in fact 1R hence no sign of the timing marks showing up. Dummy!!
It has been a long time since I played with a V8 to be fair. Anyway I was thinking the distributor was 180 degrees out as on TDC the rotor arm was either pointing at the micrometer or towards the back of the engine and the manual clearly states the rotor arm points forwards for No.1 L. Now I am not sure which is the compression stroke so I remove the tappet cover and check and with No1 L in compression at TDC the rotor arm is pointing backwards. Therefore I need to remove the distributor and turn rotor 180 degrees and reinsert the distributor so its correct. Then connect the plug leads in the correct order starting at No1 L at the front going anticlockwise. Is that right? Or do I lift distributor and turn engine one revolution and reinsert in same position or does it matter?
Thanks guys
You COULD simply move the wires on the dizzy. But if you insist that the rotor arm must point as per the manual, then you first have to find out if the dizzy drive has an off set drive slot(like the XK), OR that there are gears driving the dizzy shaft. You MAY be able to remove the upper dizzy shaft and rotate IT 180 degrees, then drop it down to re-engage the mech advance mechanism, just like the XK engines.
