How Do I time a SBC with no Degree plate ?

While working on this full custom 48 Ford with a 400 Small Block Chevy I set the Dwell to 30* then went to set the timing,and find the degree plate missing from the timing cover,also no notch on the harmonic balancer.Back when I was racing Flattrack Triumphs we used to lock the advance and set the timing 3/8" BTC. will that work on this engine???? I'm stumped

 

Put a plate on it (you can get aftermarket bolt on tabs), tdc the engine/mark the balancer, and set your timing.
It never ceases to amaze me that folks will run without knowing what their engine's timing is.
Larry T

 

you could always time it with a vacuum gauge.

or get a "degree plate". I bet they sell chrome ones at O'Reilys. put the motor at TDC on number one, and mark the balancer and your new chrome O'Reilys pointer and yer ready for the timing light


^^^ great minds think alike.

 

I sitting here shaking my head...

 

me too.....

 

For those that may not be familiar with timing by vacuum, here's a good write-up:
http://automotivemileposts.com/garage/v2n8.html

 

I never tried it that way, but I'll read up on it!! Thanks!

 

Use your ears,

To get it started find number one TDC (top dead center) put the distrubutor at zero by watching spark at the points, if it's an HEI watch for a spark at the removed plug which should be grounded so you can watch the spark. That will tell you when it shoul dbe really cose. If it spins too long and easily its retarded too much and you need to turn the distributor into the rotation. If it struggles to start it's too advanced and fighting itself. Turn away from the rotation if this is the case. Once it starts turn into advance just to where the engine picks up a little RPM. Then back off until its flat again. Set the idle at 800 RPM and adjust the carb. Once warm shut it off and start it immediately to see how it does. Shut it off and go have a soda and wait about 30 minutes for it to cool. Then start it again and see how it does. With some practice you'll be able to do this easily. An engine will tell you where it wants to be. 8-12' advance is typical for SBC but put it where it wants to run and it'll be just fine. Also if it heats up it's probably a little retarded, if it pings too much advance. Adjust accordingly. Alot of older balcancers have slipped anyways so the timing will not be accurate anyways. I learned this from the best Mechanic I know and rarely pull out a timing light, when I do its to check for refference so I canmove it in small amounts for future timing. But I always start by ear.


Tim

PS- I love the C400 you made that's one *****in' car.

 

I was always taught by an old time racer friend of mine to get TDC the use vacuum for the rest.
That's how I do all my cars.

 

ditto on the vac gauge

 

Informative link posted but it must be for a Ford

4. Keep in mind when adjusting the timing, you have to turn the distributor clockwise to advance and counter-clockwise to retard.

For a Chevy you turn Counter clockwise to advance.

 

Since you brought up racers, I always thought a part of getting the most from your engine at the dragstrip or on a dyno was a log book. You bump your timing 2 degrees at a time until your car quit picking up mph and then bumping it back 2 degree. If you have to pull the distributor or it gets bumped, you can look at you log book (if you don't remember the advance) take your light and set it dead on. The whole process is kind of hard to do with a vacuum gauge.
Another advantage of a light is that you can set the timing at full advance, let it come back to idle and check it again. Write it down, then you can make all of your changes at idle instead of 4000+ rpms.
There is no way you can have to much information about a tuneup. Get rid of all of the unknowns you can.
Larry T

OK, I read the setting timing by vacuum article. That's good for idle and might work perfectly if every distributor had the same advance built in, but they don't. They have different degrees of advance built in and have different advance rates too, so they will actually be running different degrees advance at anything off idle. Will if be good enough to get you in the ballpark-probably. Will it be optimum-maybe, maybe not.

 

Is that what I hear? I was just going to order a new set of rod bearings.

 

I caught that little mis-information or generalization too about which way to turn the distributor. It would have been much clearer to say, " Turn the distributor IN the direction of rotor rotation to RETARD the timing, and turn the distributor OPPOSITE the rotor rotation to ADVANCE the timing ". BTW, the timing tabs are like $2, and its pretty easy to find and mark your TDC on the damper. TR

 

Nope! Save your money! That was me

 

Do it right !! Install a timing tab ,then make a piston stop . Use the stop to find true TDC ,mark damper at the 0 on the tab.

 

My dog does that !

 

You forgot install a brand new dampner and throw away the 30+ year old one that's slipping the rubber. Otherwise the new timing tab won't stay right either.


Tim

 

So, I'm a dog...

 

I think the chevy is easer then the trimump.You can,t be out to far its running,Turn it till it run the best and back off little.

 

Gee,I thought everybody knew to put a witness mark on both the inner and outer pieces so you could tell if things slipped. I do that on brand new parts.

 

Find TRUE tdc. Use a flash light to look in sparkplug hole or "feel" the piston while turning engine over by hand. Mark balancer when piston stops moving up and mark where it starts moving down. Now split difference, and that will be very very close to tdc. Build a timing tab. Use a advance timing light.

 

After all that, have you looked straight down behind the waterpump to see if the timing tab is at 12 o'clock to the crank where a lot of the late 70's through 70's timing tabs are? Providing the engine has the long pump on it.

If it isn't there, buy a timing tab at the parts house and do as Rosin Jaw said in post 22 and then put the witness mark on both pieces as John said to do in post 21.

 

True TDC with a flashlight? Damn. Lippy

 

Seeing is believing. If you prefer to pull the head, go for it.

 

So you are EXACTLY at TDC, not 1/2, not 1 not 1-1/2 degrees , you are Exactly at TDC using just a flashlight? Lippy

 

Let's try this again. The "flash light" method. If you can even see in the plug hole. Pull #1 plug, turn engine over by hand, when you see the piston stop moving up make small mark on balancer, when piston starts moving down make another small mark, now split the difference between the two, this will be and I'll quoate my self "very very close" to tdc. now let's hope we are not 180 out. Plus it helps if you have dome pistons.

 

What difference would that make on marking the damper?

 

the problem with the flashlight trick is at tdc the crank will have a few degrees one way or the other of dwell.

I would use a piston stop you screw in the spark plug hole,fix a moveable timing pointer (bent up welding rod) rotate the crank clockwise, mark the balancer where the pointer is pointing, rotate counter-clock wise, mark the balancer again....tdc is exactly between the two marks, mark tdc there. use an advance light to set the timing.

 

It doesn't make any difference......there is one tdc mark on the balancer