Timing question(s)?

Well, I am almost to the point now where I will be starting my car up and I will be needing to know how to set the timing on my car...what I need/and want to know, is the steps that I need in order to get my car timed and timed right. I have no clue what-so-ever on timing. For one, I don't have a timing light, but I have been told I can get the car timed w/out the light, and it will run smooth and good still...but I have read some timing threads(including larry's), but none of them answer my questions. Can anyone just give me a step-by-step explanation of how to do so? Such as, I need to know how and where to point the rotor, and I need to know how/where to turn the dist.cap to get the car to run smooth, and so on, etc. Any help is greatly appreciated. Thankyou. :TU:

-Cody

 

Anyone know? o No: TTT

 

You don't need a light until you want to tune the engine. For now all you want to do is start it.

1. Bring #1 piston up to tdc as close as you can, it takes patience but if you take your time now and do it right you won't have to do it again later on. Look on the harmonic balancer, it should be at 0*.

2. Find your number one plug wire on the distributor cap, make the rotor point to that part of the cap and keep it there for now. I slipped the cap on to where is was at and then took it off so I could keep the rotor in the right position. Next drop the distributor in the timing cover hole. It will have to line up with the hole pump gear so you may have to use a screwdriver and move the oil pump gear so it lines up with the distributor. The distributor will slide in, no forcing needed.

3. Find the firing order for the Buick 350. It might say on the intake so then you start on the distributor cap with #1 and follow the firing order clockwise around the cap until your done. That should get you started. Also if when your starting it, if it feels like nothing is happening but you have spark, compression, fuel and air then slowly turn the distributor one way, crank it over. If it sounds like its trying to catch, turn it a bit more. Once you get it where you know it will fire, tighten the distributor down so it doesnt move around.

Hope this helps. :TU:

 

Yep, when I got the motor, I got an HEI dist. to put into it. :TU:

And thank you a lot Rob, that is exactly the info. I need! :TU:

 

Everything Rob has is right on, although you still could be off 180 on the distributor. Getting the #1 piston to top dead center puts you either at the top of the power stroke (where you want to be) or at the top of the intake stroke. It's kind of a guessing game at this point unless you know what position your valves are in. If the #1 cylinder is indeed at the top of the power stroke, than everything should be OK, and Rob's advice is the way to go. If you are on the intake stroke, than you will need to turn the distributor such that the rotor faces 180 from your original setting, as the distributor spins at half the rate of the crankshaft. As Rob stated, if you are lucky enough to be starting on the power stroke, than a slight adjustment either way will get the engine running. If you are 180 off, the engine won't start, and you'll likely hear a lot of popping and backfiring as you are trying to start it from the fuel being ignited at the wrong time (on the intake stroke).

 

basic timing

First look at the front of the engine. the bank of cyls that is the fartherest toward the front will be no1. [on any engine, any make of car.]
take out the spark plug and put your thumb over the hole and have some one to crank the engine over. when you feel compression pressure stop. the no.1 piston is coming up on the compression stroke. look under the dist cap and see where the rotor is pointing. then put the spark plug wire to no 1 cyl at the closest spark plug tower to the roter pointer.
Then wire around the dist in the firing order.
tighten the dist down to where it is snug but can still be moved by hand.
it should be close enough to run there.
when the engine fires you probably will have to advance the dist some to get it to smooth out and stay lit.
when you are timing by 'ear' leave the vac advance hooked up because you are really setting the total timing.
after the eng. is warmed up try starting it up and if it kicks back retard the timing untill it doesnt.
Then as soon as possible set the timing with a timing light and the vac advance disconected to get the basic timing right.

 

Thanks for the info. Doc, and BTail, it's very helpful!

 

timing

If all else fails just hold the end of no 1 spark plug wire in your hand and when the piston comes up on the firing stroke you will know it.......... :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh: :laugh:

If it backfires half the cyls back thru the carb and the other half out the exhaust, then you are 180 deg. out.

 

Sorry for all the stupid questions I am asking, but what is the easiest way to find the terminal on the dist. cap that goes to the number 1 cylinder spark plug? Then once I do that, I wire around the distributor in clockwise fashion in the firing order sequence, right? Such as, the terminal right next to the number 1 terminal, would be for the number 8 spark plug, and then next to the number 8 spark plug, would be the number 4 terminal, and so on and so on,(18436572 is the firing order) and remember, going in the clockwise fashion? That's how I am understanding it from the posts above, but before I attempt anything, I want to make sure I do this right the first time. It's easier to get it right the first time than to have to go back and do it again...yes, been there, done that. ou:

 

Yes, you are correct Cody. It should also say the which cylinder is which on the intake runners. My 455 was from the front 2,4,6, and 8 in the back. Odds on the drivers side. This is according to the intake manifold.

 

Thanks for the heads up, Rob, I thought I was correct on that part. My main concern is finding which terminal will be the number one terminal on the dist. cap, which I have no clue of how to find out which one to use for the number one terminal(any advice on how to find it?), because once I locate the number one terminal, from there on out it should be pretty straight forward getting it timed, or at least it seems like it should be! :TU:

 

The firing order on the Buick 350 is the same as the 455. So that means the number one plug will be on the passenger side of the points adjustment window on the distributor cap.

 

This is an HEI distributor though, so there isn't a points adjustment window there, right? From the picture that Adam shows(thanks by the way!), if it would go the same on an HEI dist. then I think I can understand it..

 

I couldn't find anything in my '74 manual, I guess you should be able to go by the hold down screws.

 

Right, I think that's what I may have to do. Where the points adjustment window is shown in the picture, appears to me that it may be in the same area as where the latch is on the HEI that I have, that holds down the Module. So I may be able to just do it like so if i'm correct.

 

Just remember that the points adjustment window is on the passenger side. Adam's pic needs to be turned 180* so the window in the pic is on the left side. Then take the numbers off in order. Goodluck :TU:

 

Thanks a lot Rob, I think I really do understand it now. If I can, I would like to be able to get it timed during this week if at all possible, if not, then I probably will try it on the weekend. Wish me luck.. :TU: