351w timing

Treneth

Member
Jan 1, 2020
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Canada
So I have a 83 fox swapped with a 351w. Decided I would see if previous owner had timing advanced. I'm no car guru and I'll get some photos posted tomorow but there are no timing marks, theres a yellow mark with a paint stick he had made I haven't actually hooked a timing light up and even see if that yellow mark lines up with the indicator but I really dont like the idea of not knowing the degrees it's set at. Am I stuck starting from scratch and making my own timing Mark's? Can a guy safely bump it till it pings and back it off a bit? Not really sure what direction to go but i would like to play with it for better 1/4mile times.
 
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I don't like the sound of that at all. How did they make a balancer with no timing marks on it? Is it possible it's dirty, and you can't see the marks? I'm not a fan of setting timing by ear at all. I don't see anyway of making accurate timing marks. If it were my car, it would be getting a new balancer.

Kurt
 
I don't like the sound of that at all. How did they make a balancer with no timing marks on it? Is it possible it's dirty, and you can't see the marks? I'm not a fan of setting timing by ear at all. I don't see anyway of making accurate timing marks. If it were my car, it would be getting a new balancer.

Kurt

To me its looks like it was cleaned up and painted over, I'll get some photos tomorow and show you. Might not even be stock balancer. I'm kinda feeling that direction as well just getting new balancer but would like to hear what others have to say.
 
It may have been painted over. My balancer looked smooth. I ended up making the mistake of trying to use timing tape and finding TDC on my own. Got the timing close but it ended up flying off and taking a layer of paint with it. My mark was 2 degrees off where it should have been.
 
It may have been painted over. My balancer looked smooth. I ended up making the mistake of trying to use timing tape and finding TDC on my own. Got the timing close but it ended up flying off and taking a layer of paint with it. My mark was 2 degrees off where it should have been.

So in the end you just replaced balancer is what your saying?
 
To me its looks like it was cleaned up and painted over, I'll get some photos tomorow and show you. Might not even be stock balancer. I'm kinda feeling that direction as well just getting new balancer but would like to hear what others have to say.

That's where I'm on it. See if you can clean it off and find some markings. They are usually etched into the metal.

A new balancer is always good insurance anyway. That's a small money part that will trash an engine if it's messed up. Even if you went all out, the Pioneer SFI approved balancers are under $200. A factory replacement is under $100. The pull and install tool is a free rental.

Kurt
 
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That's where I'm on it. See if you can clean it off and find some markings. They are usually etched into the metal.

A new balancer is always good insurance anyway. That's a small money part that will trash an engine if it's messed up. Even if you went all out, the Pioneer SFI approved balancers are under $200. A factory replacement is under $100. The pull and install tool is a free rental.

Kurt

So I had a better look and yes there are some marks hardly visible, no way in hell you would ever see them with a strobe light unless there some way to revive them.
I seen a 20 and 30 degree mark and his yellow mark is before the 20degrees but I cant tell where exactly as numbers are visually gone.

Looks like I'll be replacing the balancer seems like a fairly straightforward job hoping I have enough room to use puller and installer without having to take to much apart what's your thoughts?
 

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Usually it's getting the impact in there and the install tool that take a lot of room. I've never gotten out one out without pull the radiator. Those marks aren't great. I generally mark them with white out.

Kurt
 
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Get some sand paper and some clear acrylic nail polish. Sand the paint off and coat the area with the clear coat. I had to do mine. Once you sand it the numbers will start to show up. My paint was so flaky I removed it with a razor blade and then hit it with 320 grit sand paper. I couldn't remove the balancer. ( now that I think about it ). My condenser, radiator, and intercooler share a mounting bracket and are a pain to remove.
 
Think I can make it work, put wire wheel on grinder cleaned it up and was able to make some sense of it, his mark was at 12degrees whether it's actually there I'll have to get a light n find out, thinking I can probably use a chisel and hammer in fresh notches.

And yes I used a face shield, but not only that, safely glasses as well. Double protection lol after sitting around for years in safely meetings having that kinda stuff pounded in your head thinking it's a joke, it actually does start to brainwash you and work.
 
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