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Tips
Tips

Dynamic Timing

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John Moore

John Moore

Luke Skywalker
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Well, I continue to disassemble the engine bay on my '61 Bugeye. Today I pulled the radiator. I noticed the timing marks on my 1275 are at the bottom of the pulley. But as far as I can tell they will be completely hidden by the crossmember and radiator. How do you dynamically set the timing!?
 
Make a second mark on the pully using a different reference point, when the factory marks are lined up. Be sure the second mark is visible from above. You may want to make the second reference mark with a dab of paint on the timing chain cover or something like that.
You can actually time the car with the factory marks, but you need the car up on a lift or jacked up....kind of a pain.
 
Actually, I don't need to jack up mine (stock bugeye). I just get waaaaay down low, almost lying down, take my timing light, and shine that sucka up at the timing marks. Fortunately, the PO marked them well with paint.

I've also put a paint dab on the pulley, where I can see it easily, but I can't find anything close by to which I could attach a pointer. I just use that mark to check whether the vacuum and centrifugal advance are working.
 
I was able to set the dynamic on my bugeye with the factory marks, with a little flexibility and a long cable on the timing light. The new motor will have marks where I can see them better!

John -- off topic, but nice "In Your Garage" piece on your MGB in Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car this month! I thought I recognized your name and car.
 
drooartz said:
John -- off topic, but nice "In Your Garage" piece on your MGB in Hemmings Sports & Exotic Car this month! I thought I recognized your name and car.
Click to expand...

Thanks guys! I'll look at again.

And yes... that was my B! /bcforum/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/grin.gif
 
I put pointers and a TDC mark on the top of every engine I build that has bottom timing tabs. I make a palte with a pointer and weld it to the fornt of the timing cover, but i seen palty of folk use a couple timing cover bolt to hgold on a simple pointer. You could even do it with a Sharpie and line on the dampner and line on the timing cover. Just ake sure you do a good job of finding TDC, which you can do easy enough with using the factory bottom marks on a together engine, I make my marks when building a engine before I put the head on with a magnetic base and dial indicator.
 
Thanks Hap,

I'll look at making some marks on my engine before I button things up as well as putting some white on the marks below. It sure would be nice to be able to do it from the top.
 
Looks like my new engine will have better timing marks... cool!

(Can you tell I'm excited?)
 
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