mordzy · May 11, 2014

Ok so I got my v8 running tother week with much help from fanatic.

I decided to mess with the carb balancing this weekend and teach myself something new... While I was doing this I just couldn't get a nice idle...

On further reading of my manual I came to the conclusion that the ignition timing may be 180 out?? My dad says this was possible on 4cyl engines...

The reson I think this is because the manual says to turn the engine to tdc and then make sure the rotor arm is bang on with chamber 1. Then when timing up you can rotate either side if tdc (2-3 btdc for v8). Well I rotated engine to tdc and the rotor arm is 180 to where is should be...

The engine came on a pallet like this... Is it out or am I wrong?

SmileySteve · May 11, 2014

180 degrees out would be ya engines sparking on the exhaust upward stroke......no way would it run? unless I am missing something here.

Poor idling can be primary jet, mixture, clogged air filter, carb to manifold air leaks etc, its a big list.
Good quality spark plugs and leads, good clean rotor arm and clean good condition distributor cap essential (they can fur up and erode ) .
Engine at running temp before tuning, though this can then sometimes mean great idling at normal but crap at cold!
Think a few preliminary checks and work through

jamesmartin · May 11, 2014

v8s can be 180 degrees out but not and run,remove rocker cover and as you turn engine watch valves on no 1, as you turn to tdc both valves should be shut on the last half turn up to tdc

SmileySteve · May 11, 2014

Doh, 180 degrees would be at bottom of stroke sorry!, still wouldnt run though I reckon

Kwakerman · May 11, 2014

The 180 degrees out he is talking about is the distributor and not the crank - remember the dizzy only rotates at half crank speed therefore 180 out on a dizzy is 1 full revolution of the crank.

mordzy · May 11, 2014

Either way. Manual says dizzy rotor should be contacting with chamber 1. It's not . It's 180 out. So before that's corrected (unless the manual is wrong) there is no point messing with anything else.??

Can someone confirm tdc should have rotor pointing at point 1??

jamesmartin · May 11, 2014

mordzy said:
Either way. Manual says dizzy rotor should be contacting with chamber 1. It's not . It's 180 out. So before that's corrected (unless the manual is wrong) there is no point messing with anything else.??

Can someone confirm tdc should have rotor pointing at point 1??

read my post,you may just need to turn it 1 turn

mordzy · May 11, 2014

jamesmartin said:
read my post,you may just need to turn it 1 turn

Thanks James.

Manual says...

Turn the distrubutor driveshaft so that the rotor arm position is 30 degrees anti-clockwise from number one cylinder HT lead position in the distributer cap. Fit the distributor to the engine, ensuring that the oil pump drive driveshaft slot engages in the end of the distributor driveshaft. The rotor arm should now point to the Number One HT lead position in the Distributor cap.

Which is a little confusing. is it 30 degrees or pointing at number 1???

jamesmartin · May 11, 2014

yes but it has to be tdc with no1 on firing stroke not no1 on exhaust,thats why you check valves

mordzy · May 11, 2014

Ill take no 1 plug out and find compression stroke with my finger. i can't understand how it would run being so far out. it runs and revs. doesn't sound like other vids online but it revs...

mordzy · May 11, 2014

Ill forget the 180. if i find true dead centre and ignore the marks on the pulley and make my own..

owl · May 11, 2014

Read what James has posted, It is a 4 stroke engine so going through the full cycle you have 2 tdc's one on the exhaust stroke and one on the compression. At tdc on the exhaust stroke the distributor rotor arm will be 180 away from number 1 then after another full revolution of the crank it will be at tdc on the compression stroke and now the rotor arm will be at number 1.

gemsdad · May 11, 2014

mordzy said:
Ill forget the 180. if i find true dead centre and ignore the marks on the pulley and make my own..

true tdc,ok but on firing or exhaust stroke??.listen to jamesmartin will you.

the timing marks on the bottom pulley are there for a reason,not just for fun.

mordzy · May 11, 2014

Yeh yeh. I here you. Which is why I'll take out plug 1 and find the compression stroke. Once I have that I can mark tdc rather than going from the pulley marks which must be wrong.

I must be on the exhaust stroke at the mo, thus 180 degrees thought crossed my mind. Just trying to work out what the issues could be.

True tdc rather than the marks on the pulley is probably best place to start

gemsdad · May 11, 2014

mordzy said:
Yeh yeh. I here you. Which is why I'll take out plug 1 and find the compression stroke. Once I have that I can mark tdc rather than going from the pulley marks which must be wrong.

I must be on the exhaust stroke at the mo, thus 180 degrees thought crossed my mind. Just trying to work out what the issues could be.

True tdc rather than the marks on the pulley is probably best place to start

but you need to look at the valves to determine if it is on the comp stroke.

mordzy · May 11, 2014

Will do that too

gemsdad · May 11, 2014

mordzy said:
Will do that too

by jove i think he's got it,lol.

Kwakerman · May 11, 2014

mordzy said:
Yeh yeh. I here you. Which is why I'll take out plug 1 and find the compression stroke. Once I have that I can mark tdc rather than going from the pulley marks which must be wrong.

I must be on the exhaust stroke at the mo, thus 180 degrees thought crossed my mind. Just trying to work out what the issues could be.

True tdc rather than the marks on the pulley is probably best place to start

You wont be able to determine TDC that accurately just be taking the plug out. To do it properly needs a degree wheel on the crank and a DTI down the plug hole. That said unless someone has changed the crank pulley for another model or the woodruff key is sheared then the marks should be correct.

mordzy · May 11, 2014

There's a lot of guff on the net about em being up to 30 degrees out!? The markings that is

marccleave · May 12, 2014

Kwakerman said:
You wont be able to determine TDC that accurately just be taking the plug out. To do it properly needs a degree wheel on the crank and a DTI down the plug hole. That said unless someone has changed the crank pulley for another model or the woodruff key is sheared then the marks should be correct.

You can do it that way, but if the markings on the crank wheel are out and you dont have a DTI then the easiest way is to do it as mentioned previously.

Remove the n/s rocker cover
Remove No.1 spark plug
Put a wooden dowel (make shift DTI) down the plug hole (wood as to not damage anything!)
Turn the engine over by hand, watching the dowel and both No.1 valves
Watch for both valves to fully close, then turn slowly until TDC is reached and the dowel pushes out no more. You will go over it first time so bring it back and then forward again until its almost bang on TDC.
Remove the dowel, put the spark plug in, the rocker cover back on
When sliding the distributor back in turn the shaft/rotor arm about 30degrees away from where it should be. When you slide the distributor back in and when the gears engage the shaft/arm will rotate. Can be quite easy to get the distributor one tooth out or so... Might take a few attempts.

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