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Setting timing without cranking the engine....

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Is there any simple way to set the timing advance (in my case, 8 degrees BFTDC, centrifugal advance) without cranking the engine? Like some sort of light mechanism (timing light?) that will flash when I am at the setting I want with the spark gap set. I plan on cranking the engine soon after a performance rebuild and would like to have her ready to fire at close to an ideal setting without spinning the dizzy by hand to get the perfect "feel" for the engine running right on. Or am I dreaming?

Bill
 
If what you want to do is simply start the car after a rebuild you need to perform the standard "static timing" procedure.

Succinctly, mark the plug wires and pull the spark plugs to make the engine easy to turn over. Also remove the dizzy cap so you can watch the rotor turn. Put the car in neutral and pull the fan belt in its normal direction of motion to turn the engine over SLOWLY in its normal direction of rotation. Watch your timing marks until you are at the desired location (in your case 8 BTDC). Make sure you're on #1 cylinder by examining the valves for #1. The rockers should be "up" and free to wiggle a bit indicating that both valves for #1 are closed.

While you're rotating the engine, note the direction the rotor in the dizzy is moving. For my LBCs this is CCW. When you've lined up the timing marks, connect a simple test lamp between chassis ground and the dizzy connection on the coil. Loosen the dizzy clamp bolts so it can be rotated by hand. Switch on the ignition. First turn the dizzy body IN THE DIRECTION OF ROTOR ROTATION until the test lamp goes OUT/OFF. Rotate the dizzy a few more (10 to 20) degrees in that direction. Now SLOWLY rotate the dizzy BACK opposite the direction of rotor rotation. It's important to go slow. Watch the test lamp while rotating the dizzy and STOP as soon as the test lamp turns ON. Remove the test lamp, tighten the dizzy clamp, and replace your plugs and dizzy cap.

That will set your static timing for starting on a car with points or most solid state ignitions that support "zero speed firing". On most cars, especially after a high-performance rebuild, you'll want to do a dynamic timing after the initial 20 minute break in period.

EDIT:
IF you knew the total advance your dizzy would deliver and IF you knew the maximum RPM your engine could handle without knocking after your rebuild... then you could use some alternate static timing figure and the procedure above. As it is, you really need to start with the basic, static, 5-10 BTDC and then do a high-speed dynamic timing AFTER your car is back on the road.
 
Thanks Doug, that is EXACTLY what I needed to know. You were a big help.

Bill
 
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