TDC # 8, Dignostic base line

[Ted Borck <tborck@domain.elided>]

> Date: Tue, 18 May 1999 16:20:49 GMT
> From: jlandry@domain.elided (John A. Landry)
> Subject: Re: My 392
> 
> The aliens commander decided Tom Mandera <tsm1@domain.elided> would make a
> perfect specimen for dissection, and he yelled...
> 
<snip>

> Wait a minute Tom...
> 
> First you seem to indicate you were *attempting* to find TDC, but you say
> "stopped pushing air out."  The proper way is to indeed feel the air
> *start* coming out, but then you refer to the harmonic balancer and
> continue rotating the crank until the timing mark is lined up with the 0
> degree mark on the timing gear cover.

Tom,

You need to establish a dignostic base line.

(Another in the shade tree mechanic with ball peen hammer and 12"
crescent wrench series.<g>)

You're trying to deal with too many unknowns, and haven't determined
what is correct re your firing order, ignition, and what is not within
specs.

If I were in your shoes - I would start by cleaning the timing notch
in the harmonic damper.

Then paint the notch (carefully) with "liquid paper," "white out,"
"correcting fluid," or what ever you call it.

(Every tool box should have a bottle of liquid paper.)

Now you can *clearly* see the timing notch.  

(This will also make subsequent timing with a strobe light easier.)

Then:

Bite the bullet and take off the passenger side valve cover.

Your postings over the past couple of days, give the impression that
you have wasted a lot of time and effort trying to find TDC on
cylinder #8 - without removing the valve cover - maybe enough time to
have R&R'd the valve cover several times.

Without knowing what kind of reference material you have - # 8 is the
passenger side rear cylinder.

(It is difficult to find necessary information in the factory shop
manuals - who designed those things?)

Once the valve cover is removed - rotate the engine until the timing
notch is at TDC & *both* valves for cylinder # 8 are closed (you will
be able to move the rocker arms slightly).

Note the position of the distibutor rotor.  If it is pointed to
the rear of the engine - your distb is 180 degrees out.

Now unless I have this thread confused with another in this maillist,
you have a point type distb being used to start this engine, and are
getting spark to the plugs.

Remove the distributor (clean dirt and debris from around the intake
manifold and distb body prior to removal - be careful and don't drop
anything down the distb drive hole, and plug the hole with a clean
rag).

Mount the distb in a vise to secure it, an set the point gap to .30,
while points are opened by the distb cam.

(The .30 is like a URL - the comma after the .30 has no reference
meaning.<g>)

You can set the points while the distb is mounted on the engine, but
it is easier off the engine.

Once you have set the gap - get a *clean* business card and place a
portion of the card where there is no printing between the open points.

Rotate the distb shaft enough to close the points (don't tear the card
enough to place paper fiber on the point surface(s)) on the business
card and pull the card from between the closed points.

Do this a couple of times to clean the points.

Check the point gap again, and replace the distb with the rotor 
pointing toward the front of the engine.  

(Sorry can't remember the o'clock position of # 8 terminal)

Now you have established *correct* TDC for # 8, and have made sure the
points are gapped correctly.

Now run the spark plug wire from # 8 spark plug to the distb cap
connector the rotor is pointing to.


Hope this helps.

Ted Borck	tborck@domain.elided