I'm needing some info on the setting of the timing on a 1950 F-1 226 engine. The timing cover has two pointers on it. Which one is correct for TDC? I have all the other settings. Points ,plugs , valves, firing order etc. This is a all original restored truck. The distributer just has one vacuum line from dist to carb. So I don't know if it has been changed from a loadamatic. I cant get the engine to start. It tries but wont run. Any help?
I've done the thumb over the plug hole to find compression stroke. Then I lined the balancer timing mark to the closest pointer on the timing cover. The two pointers on the timing cover are about a inch apart. I would think that would be tdc. Dropped the dist. on number one. Set it as close to zero as I could.
Zero , is a little short, try about 10 degrees. But you should , first verify TDC. Like Sally said! Bones
How can go about that. The sparkplug hole is over the valves. I tried sticking a wire to verify the piston is at tdc. Only other way is to pull the head. I'm starting to wonder if the crank to cam timing can get off.
It's possible as they had a fiber timing gear on the cam. What's the history on the engine? Rebuilt? Been sitting? Have you checked the compression? They are very hard to start if the compression is low... Also notorious for weak fuel pumps(stock).
Okay I looked up the 2 timing pointer deal in my '53 Motors manual.....seems Ford used 2 different size damper/pulleys over the years. So use the pointer closest to the edge of your pulley. Also the point gap spec is .025...
Thanks for the info on the pointers. The engine was restored when the truck was done. Everything is like new. According to the owner, it has never worked correctly. It has been sitting for a while. The compression is 95 on all six but, that was slow cranking and throttle closed. I'm going to put a resistor on the coil and use a 12 volt battery to see if I can get it to run. The fuel system is clean. Fresh fuel.
Whenever I’m faced with an engine ignition timing problem and can’t determine TDC and no or comprised timing pointers, I get number one up on compression as close to TDC as I can determine. Stab the distributor, then try to start the engine while turning the distributor back an forth until it starts hitting or tying to hit. If I cannot turn the distributor far enough to make the engine run, then I pull the distributor and move it a tooth or two. Once I get the engine running, I time it by ear and a vacuum gauge.Then adjust while driving , if necessary. Bones
You should be able to see the valves with the spark plug out. Watch the intake while turning the engine when the intake just starts to open you are very close to top dead center exhaust and the timing mark should be very close. Putting a screwdriver on top of the intake valve might help in telling when it just starts to move.
A home made TDC finder is CHEAP.....EASY to make......fool proof! Get an old spark plug.........bust out the ceramic center so all that's left is the metal threaded part. Either screw in or glue in a bolt long enough to go inside the No.1 cylinder so the piston will contact it when it comes to the top of its stroke. Screw it in place and turn the engine BY HAND until the piston contacts the bolt.......mark your dampner Rotate the engine BY HAND in the opposite direction until the piston contacts the bolt....mark the dampner. Measure between the two marks and the center of your measurement is TDC. Mark THAT SPOT on your dampner and use a file to cut a groove in the dampner. Make some kind of pointer to point at that mark and mount it on the engine. EZ-PZ.....................with some white paint you should be able to see it with a timing light. You welcome 6sally6
I made one of those years ago. It wont work for the flathead ford six though. The plug hole is not over the piston.
I've tried to make piston stops out of sparkplugs and have not been happy with the results. On a hemi of any engine where they come straight down on the piston they work ok. On a wedge as a SBC they will contact the piston so high in the stroke that any flex will not give good results. They do not cost that much for a good one
Ok, This Ford is blowing my mind. It will start and run. Runs smooth at first, then has reversion through the carb. It will not take any throttle. It still acts like the cam to crank timing is off. I did check the cam to crank gear timing, checked the valve adjustment. Also the checked the distributer, advance is working. Set it on number one when the head was off. And I took the intake off and looked for cracks at the heat riser. It could be a vacuum leak but, I can't find one. I know I had a v8 with a vacuum leak and every other cylinder wouldn't fire. I checked the carb too. I'm about to tannerite this thing. LOL
Electrical.... slow cranking.... intermittent performance... This points to a fundamental electrical issue. Primary leads... These need to be at least # 2 gauge for 6V. Even the auto box stores carry too light a gauge for American 12 V vehicles. The stuff you find at the box stores are for Hondas. Corroded or painted connections... Resistance right there. A dirty or more likely in this case a beautifully painted connection can turn a 2 gauge wire into a 12 gauge wire with all the smoke and heat. Missing ground straps.... Removed and never put back on. 6V does crank over slower, but it's not "That Slow". As the engine runs and heats things up, metal expands losing the already poor connection. Check out the electrical really really well. This is basic stuff often overlooked.
If it was a Chrysler product I would say to look for a small pipe plug in the head, over the #6 piston. Take out the plug and drop a screwdriver down the hole, you will see it rise and fall as you slowly turn the engine. Don't use a plain wire it might fall in. Another thing I have done, is to make an adapter by welding a bit of pipe into an old spark plug base and sticking a balloon on the end. Turn the engine and when it is on compression the balloon blows up. When the balloon is maximum size that is TDC. Not exactly accurate but usually gets timing in the ball park. After that, use a vacuum gauge to set the timing where you get the highest vacuum reading. You never know about old timing marks. Sometimes the dampener shifts, sometimes the front timing cover has been replaced and the pointers are wrong.. The vacuum method works well on old engines with carburetors and simple ignition, not so well on new computer controlled or electronic and EFI motors. Vacuum method is good for power and economy but you might need to back off a bit to get a slow idle and prevent spark knock under load.
Great! This is a great example of the simple stuff. Always check and confirm the simple stuff. Grounds, connections, fuel supply and airflow. It's in our nature to complicate things. It's in our nature to jump into complex solutions when we need to pull back and think.
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