Post by tonyhosk on Feb 28, 2023 21:18:12 GMT
Some advice please!
When I removed and then rebuilt the engine, the distributor was canted slightly forward to the vertical - all photos I have of other engine bays show a roughly similar position. When I tried to restart the engine last week - nothing, although a good spark was apparent. I then checked and realised I had fallen for the old mistake on these engines and had replaced the dizzy driveshaft 180 degrees out! Corrected and tried again - still nothing. I then started to rotate the dizzy anticlockwise (retarding) unit the engine fired. I had set the rebuilt carbs with the jets at 2 1/2 turns down to facilitate starting without choke. So far, so good - oil pressure fine and tappets sounded fine as well. Break out a beer!
I then used my Gunson timing light, having painted a TDC mark on the top of the front timing cover and adjacent pulley edge, as having set the timing mark and notch on the pulley edge underneath to TDC I couldn't reach down there with the light, hence the white marking on top. With the engine running at about 1000rpm my light indicated about 30 degrees btdc and I had turn the dizzy a long way to the left to get it to read approx 6 degrees (as per workshop manual). The engine ran slightly rougher and took more effort to start.
At some point in its past a PO had fitted an Accuspark type electronic unit replacing the points. Would this affect the timing this dramatically? I can't do a static timing check with a 12V lamp connected in parallel with the points to check when they open with this electronic unit in place and stuck to the base plate to secure it. Am I doing something very wrong (silly) in setting the timing up with my timing gun? Why did the engine run when I first drove the car home with the dizzy canted forward - about at 1 o'clock to the vertical - but not now after the rebuild?
Tony
When I removed and then rebuilt the engine, the distributor was canted slightly forward to the vertical - all photos I have of other engine bays show a roughly similar position. When I tried to restart the engine last week - nothing, although a good spark was apparent. I then checked and realised I had fallen for the old mistake on these engines and had replaced the dizzy driveshaft 180 degrees out! Corrected and tried again - still nothing. I then started to rotate the dizzy anticlockwise (retarding) unit the engine fired. I had set the rebuilt carbs with the jets at 2 1/2 turns down to facilitate starting without choke. So far, so good - oil pressure fine and tappets sounded fine as well. Break out a beer!
I then used my Gunson timing light, having painted a TDC mark on the top of the front timing cover and adjacent pulley edge, as having set the timing mark and notch on the pulley edge underneath to TDC I couldn't reach down there with the light, hence the white marking on top. With the engine running at about 1000rpm my light indicated about 30 degrees btdc and I had turn the dizzy a long way to the left to get it to read approx 6 degrees (as per workshop manual). The engine ran slightly rougher and took more effort to start.
At some point in its past a PO had fitted an Accuspark type electronic unit replacing the points. Would this affect the timing this dramatically? I can't do a static timing check with a 12V lamp connected in parallel with the points to check when they open with this electronic unit in place and stuck to the base plate to secure it. Am I doing something very wrong (silly) in setting the timing up with my timing gun? Why did the engine run when I first drove the car home with the dizzy canted forward - about at 1 o'clock to the vertical - but not now after the rebuild?
Tony