iSAY, THE ONLY WAY TO GET 180 OUT is to line up the timing mark @ zero and not check to see if it's on the compression stroke... I say if you pull the cap and see where the rotor is pointing... stab the distributor with the rotor pointing in the same spot... and put the number one plug wire in the same spot it will be close enough to run....but I was told today that thats how you get 180 out.... I said I have always done it that way,,, but was told that I just got lucky....lol,,, vec doesn't have a timing mark... and I said I've done it with no mark, or timing light...one guy cranks it and the other move the dist a little till it runs and idles... then test.. if it labors the starter too much advance.... back it up... then road test... if it pings back it off... if it doesn't give it a tad more... then do the starter test again... right or wrong.... also.... I said the crank turns 2 to one on the dist.. right or wrong...new techs loose it with dist. and carbs..
the other way I do it is on a motor with no dist...put my finger on the #1 plug hole and feel for the compression,.. then to get more spot on if theres no timing mark.. put a zip tie in the plug hole and watch for it to go as high as it will go... thats TDC... and it doesn't matter where the #1 plug wire is, where ever the rotor is point ing is #1...
Pull the passenger side rover cover and observe #6 rockers. The exhaust should be closing and intake starts opening. Cylinder #1 will be on compression stroke [then line up the timing marks] This method works on 90° crankshafts
my flat head doesn't have the nipple on the crank..... so no timing mark... this guy that says he knows flatheads was going to help me put a new distributor in... while I was waiting for it... he stopped by and was looking around.... when I told him there's no timing marks... he said I have to pull the head... and when I told him how to do it he dis agreed... said it will never work,,, need less to say... I'll be doing it my self.. my distributor has no advance... verified by a vacuum pump. the vacuum advance won't hold vacuum ,.. it leaks... so I got a new distributor.. the motor is real lazy next... I've read that flats go clock wise @ the dist.... gonna have to check that today....is this diagram right???
but doesn't work on flatheads...also there is no #6 on the pass. side...unless you mean r. hand drive.... but thanks for helping..
another ... never heard before,.. worked on motors all my life... been to 10 county fairs and a goat rope'n.... what the hell is a rover cover???
Soooo. I figured a rover cover was a blanket that this dog motor needs to keep warm in the winter... which gave me this idea.... why not put an electric blanket over the engine on cold winter nights??? but anyway... found out that a rover cover is the timing cover on the bottom side of the world...
soon as day light hits vegas I'm putting this dist. in..I will not remover one thing from the motor but the dist.... and it will run.. or I will be eating crow toe rims off my 32
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