1. Registration trouble? Please use the "Contact Us" link at the bottom right corner of the page and your issue will be resolved.
    Dismiss Notice

Setting timing...

Discussion in 'Flat Fender Tech' started by sammy, Sep 13, 2008.

  1. CJ-X

    CJ-X Member

    The oil pumps are the same inside. The gear on the shaft is different. I figured that would be obvious since I pointed out that the gear on the camshaft was different. That is why it pumps in the right direction.
     
  2. sparky

    sparky Sandgroper Staff Member Founder

    :sticks nose in debate:

    Since I saw my name mentioned.

    Chain driven L-head distributor rotors rotate counterclockwise. I've attached the Ignition System portion of the Technical Manual published by the War Department in Jan. 1944 to substantiate my claim. Thanks Homebrew for providing these.
     
  3. sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    In my findings, it is counter clockwise...
    AND IT RUNS NOW, incredibly well!! Oops, caps... It's out of excitement.
    I flipped the number 4 and the number 1 plug wires, number one is now at the 10 o'clock position on the dizzy, it fired right away, didn't shoot a flame out of the carb when I got on the gas, and if I put the timing light on number 3 wire I can see the timing lights.
    What the heck? My FSM and IIRC Glenn told me Number 1 is at the 5 o'clock position.
     
  4. sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    So, on page 4 of sparkys posted manual, my firing order looks nothing like that., everything is shifted 180*, I guess the shop put the cam and flywheel in backward?, or, the little "rotor offset tongue", I put in backward, that's what happened! When installing the distributor, I the offset tongue can go in one way or the other, I put it in backward.
     
    Last edited: Oct 18, 2008
  5. Bill F

    Bill F Finally running

    I really doesnt matter which poistion you use as #1 as long as you have your firing order right. There is no way your cam or flywheel would be backwards.
     
  6. sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    Firing order is now right
    Why am I timing from the number 3 wire then?
     
  7. Bill F

    Bill F Finally running

    You shouldnt be timming from #3. What happens when you put it on #1?
     
  8. sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    I see no marks
    http://www.vernco.com/tips/id337.htm
     
  9. sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    In my findings, it is counter clockwise...
    AND IT RUNS NOW, incredibly well!! Oops, caps... It's out of excitement.
    I flipped the number 4 and the number 1 plug wires, number one is now at the 10 o'clock position on the dizzy, it fired right away, didn't shoot a flame out of the carb when I got on the gas, and if I put the timing light on number 3 wire I can see the timing lights.
    What the heck? My FSM and IIRC Glenn told me Number 1 is at the 5 o'clock position.
     
  10. 1960willyscj5

    1960willyscj5 Well-Known Member

    Probably a good thing I'm not trying to rebuild a chain-drive from that book, then.
    Other than Sparky's reference though I can not find the chain-drives even mentioned any where.


    How ever the oil pump shaft index should be the same no matter which one you use, right?
    with the offset indexing slot.

    If the oil pump was not indexed right with cylinder #1 at top dead center on the compression stroke with the slot looking like clock hands pointing to 11:00 and 5:00 and the meaty part of the shaft toward the front of the engine then the timing would change. If indexed on the exhaust stroke instead of the compression stroke then the timing would be 180º out. And the plug you would read your timing from would change.
    Does that make sense to anyone?

    :hurrican:
     
  11. sammy

    sammy Coca-Cola?

    Not I says sammy...
    The drive prong on the distributor looks like a flathead screwdriver, not fat on one side or the other. The oil pump looks like a flathead screw that it plugs into. I checked both these out back in March when I put it in. If I had pulled the distributor and rotated it by hand 180* it would be lined up right, starting at the 5 o'clock position with 1, then 3-4-2, but, I was testing it today and flipped the 1 and 4 wires, causing it to be 1-3-4-2 from the 10 o'clock position, basically the same but flipped.
    I removed the flywheel without marking position, the shop re installed it. it's got 6 holes, 2 are fatter, so it goes on one way or the other, the shop put it on the wrong way but it will be perfectly fine. I think now I typed it out your post does make sense...
    All I know is it's running, running great and strong, isn't missing, and is timed from the number 3 plug wire, TC right on the line.
     
  12. 1960willyscj5

    1960willyscj5 Well-Known Member

    Well, you know what?

    "If it ain't broke, don't fix it!" As my dear old Pappy used to tell me.R)

    If it is idling smooth, and you have good power all the way to top speed then keep it that way.

    Just remember to write it down in your tune-up notes for the next time you have to change the points and condenser. Or for the next guy if you happen to sell it some where down the line.

    Good Job!:coffee:
     
  13. Gwillys

    Gwillys 1953 CJ3B

    Now what would happen if the little dots on the timing gears were not aligned by the engine rebilder? I would belive that this might cause some significant trouble right?
     
  14. CJ-X

    CJ-X Member

    Yes.
     
  15. Lifesgoodhere

    Lifesgoodhere Like 6 Jeeps isn't enough

    I know I got my flywheel 180 off...I have the rotor pointing at cylinder #1 when cylinder #1 is at TDC. You should be able to see the corrsponding marks on teh flywheel through the hole. I couldn't. I took a SLIVER sharpie and made my own mark for TDC, and guesses where 10 degrees is. My engine runs like a champ, but I need a new ring gear so I will be taking it all back apart soon enough, and will make fure cylinder #1 is at TDC when I take it apart.

    Heres some pics from my manual.

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]