valve and ignition timing

[AlfaNeely@domain.elided]

Ed,
       You are a bit confused.  Valve timing and distributor timing are 
independent - changing one does not change the other.  Well, OK, the 
distributor and the cams both drive from the front of the crankshaft, so they 
are related to that extent.
       Thomas Moll's suggestion to rotate the distributor shaft 180 is great. 
 If the oil pan is not all buttoned up, you can also pull the oil pump and 
turn it 180 degrees.  Or you can just move the spark plug wires around on the 
distributor cap - not the best, but it will work fine.  It just looks funny 
to the experienced mechanic.  The distributor cap itself will not fit on 
backwards.

Ciao,
Russ Neely
Oklahoma City


In a message dated 2/14/2003 11:38:43 PM Central Standard Time, 
owner-alfa-digest@domain.elided writes:

> 
> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 23:34:45 -0500
> From: "Ed &Marsha Prytherch" <mred2u@domain.elided>
> Subject: valve and ignition timing
> 
> I am rebuilding my 79 spider engine. I have timed the cams with a degree
> disc attached in place of the flywheel, but the distributor is 180 degrees
> out. The coupling on the end of the distributor shaft seems to prevent it
> from being rotated through 180. Can I just rotate the distributor cap
> through 180 or do I have to re-do the valve timing?
> 
> Thanks.
> 
> Ed Prytherch, Columbia SC
> 73 GTV
> 79 Spider
> 
> ------------------------------
> 
> Date: Fri, 14 Feb 2003 21:08:31 -0800
> From: "Thomas Moll" <moltek@domain.elided>
> Subject: Re: valve and ignition timing
> 
> Ed,
> 
> You are not the first to encounter this problem and thankfully the Italian
> engineers have provided a simple solution. If you take the distributor out
> and look closely at the coupling you will notice that there is a coiled
> spring wire wrapped around it in a machined grove. The spring wire is there
> to keep the pin that holds the coupling to the shaft from sliding out and
> once you gently remove it from the grove you can push out the pin holding
> the coupling onto the shaft and simply rotate it 180 degrees. Voila!
> 
> Have fun
> Thomas Moll
> Seattle, WA
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