Distributer (Timing) Quick help

[Synned]

Whats up guys
Well I'm putting my car back together after an intake swap, and the car was running crappy so I tried pulling the dist., cranking till compression.
Problem is, there are two timing strips, one right after another.
They both start at 0, and end at 30, with the second one about an inch after.
Problem is, it seems everytime I crank till compression, its passed the first 0.
Are these two timing strips BTDC and ATDC????
I know jrichker will be in here in a sec. Thanks guys

 

[95opal]

Yes those are BTDC and ATDC. To the right of the 0 is BTDC.

 

[Synned]

Yes those are BTDC and ATDC. To the right of the 0 is BTDC.

So I want to crank it and get it exactly to the 0 BTDC?

The SECOND strip beginning is where I want it??
Or do I want it at the first strip? The beginning of the first strip. That makes sense...but I dont get how BTDC starts at 0 and ends at 40.

Everytime I start trying to get TDC at #1, it usually passes those marks. Can I turn the motor by hand backwards?

 

[86bluecobra]

Everytime I start trying to get TDC at #1, it usually passes those marks. Can I turn the motor by hand backwards?

Yes you can turn it backwards but always go back aways the turn it forward by hand again up to where you need it.

 

[Synned]

SO for the two timing strips

Kind of look like this
<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<<MOTOR ROTATION<<<
---------BTDC--------..............----------ATDC------
0 10 20 30 40 ............0 10 20 30 40


I want the pointer at 0 BTDC? Or are my timing marks made up and not correct...cause I could barely see

 

[Synned]

bump

 

[4G-KDMP]

---------BTDC--------..............----------ATDC------
0 10 20 30 40 ............0 10 20 30 40
^

here

 

[Synned]

Thanks guys
I was just wondering if someone could explain to me why the motor hits 0* BTDC before it hits 40*?
Are my timing marks off in my head? The ATDC makes sense.

 

[Synned]

Okay, I'm going to try this when I get home from work today.
Pull the dist out.
Pull #1 out.
Crank till compression...when compression look at timing marks.
Usually I'm around:

---------BTDC--------..............----------ATDC------
0 10 20 30 40 ............0 10 20 30 40

^^^^^^

That point...or so. Should I spin the motor clockwise to get it back to 0* BTDC?
In my head, timing marks that look like this
---------BTDC--------..............----------ATDC------
40 30 20 10 0 ............0 10 20 30 40

make much more sense. But then again...I don't know a whole lot about this stuff

 

[Synned]

anyone?

 

[ALMOST STOCK]

Not trying to be a smart ass but are you sure you’re pulling the #1 plug and not the #5 plug?
Are you rotating the engine by hand or using the starter?
The reason I’m asking is because if you’re using the starter to rotate the motor by the time you hear the compression it’s usually gone past the zero timing mark.

Remove the #1 plug, then with a breaker bar and a short extension and the correct socket rotate the engine until you feel the air escape through the #1 plug hole, if you don’t feel any air escaping but you see the pointer on the 0 timing mark that means your on the exhaust stroke not the compression stroke, just keep rotation the engine until you feel all the air escape. I’ll even stick a long pencil in the #1 plug hole and watch it as it comes to the very top and if I see if start to go back down II know I’ve gone to far.

At this point try dropping the distributor in, remember the teeth on the cam and distributor are angled so the distributor will need to be rotated to compensate.
When the distributor drops in you could be ahead or behind the #1 plug wire on the distributor cap just pick it up and re stab it so that you will line up with the #1 plug.
One last thing….. if the distributor points to the #1 plug but the distributor won’t full seat more than likely your not lined up on the oil pump shaft. Hold the distributor and slightly rotate the motor again and the oil pump shaft will rotate enough to let the distributor fully seat.
To double check everything (if you use a pencil remove it) and rotate the engine again until you feel the compression start to exit the #1 plug hole and watch to see where your timing mark is and the check the to make sure you’re on the #1 plug wire.

Reinstall the #1 plug put the distributor cap on, snug but do not tighten the distributor bolt, set up your timing light, remove the spout connector , start the engine and set the correct timing by moving the distributor or what ever timing you chose, then tighten the bolt on the distributor and plug in the Spout connector.

View attachment 390805

View attachment 390806

I hope this helps and makes some since?

 

[4G-KDMP]

that pic of the timing marks is exactly how it should look.