setting TDC

ttocs · May 19, 2018

I have watched any video I can find on it, but I still don't think I am doing it right. I barely have access to #1 with the vortech piping above it and do not have one of them neat plunger tools to see when its going up or down so I am just old-school sticking my finger near/in it. The videos explain how there should be air pushed out at two different points but I only feel it at one point. 5.0/302 if it matters.

duh09 · May 19, 2018

I've always just went off the timing marks on the harmonic balancer.

Bump the starter over to as close to 0 as possible. Get an idea of where #1 plugwire is on the cap and make sure the rotor is pointing there when you stab the ole dizzy down in the hole. Then adjust once it's running and get it to 12-14* or whatever you're setting it at. If the car seems to backfire when turning over, you're 180* out. It's a little daunting and frustrating the first time stabbing a dizzy but it's pretty simple once you get what's going on.

Assuming that's why you're getting it to TDC.

lwarrior1016 · May 19, 2018

Stick a screwdriver gently in the spark plug hole and roll the engine over by hand until the screwdriver doesn’t go up anymore. Then you can pull the rocker cover and watch when both valves are closed so you make sure it’s on the compression stroke.

evilcw311 · May 19, 2018

Lwarrior said it best. Thatâ€™s what we always did. We pull the valve cover and then roll it over and watch it.

Helps to have a second set of hands and eyes, no ears needed.

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ttocs · May 19, 2018

yea 2nd set of hands.... I have always been the 2nd set of hands in this process in the car bumping the starter. But because this wasn't needed prior to my helper helping I am very hesitant to call him for anything more then needing a nut tightened up at this point.

evilcw311 · May 19, 2018

You got another friend who can help. As I always say, just a phone call and a short drive away.

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lwarrior1016 · May 19, 2018

He might not ask for it Logan, you’re going to have to force the help on him. Just say, “Scott, I’m on the way over. I’ll let you know when I’m close”. That way he will have someone competent that’s helping lol.

ttocs · May 19, 2018

got it tonight finally and got it started. its not running as well as it did last weekend yet but its a start.

evilcw311 · May 19, 2018

lwarrior1016 said:
He might not ask for it Logan, youâ€™re going to have to force the help on him. Just say, â€œScott, Iâ€™m on the way over. Iâ€™ll let you know when Iâ€™m closeâ€. That way he will have someone competent thatâ€™s helping lol.

Heâ€™s a stubborn olâ€™fart but he knows he can reach out to me anytime. Lol

ttocs said:
got it tonight finally and got it started. its not running as well as it did last weekend yet but its a start.

Iâ€™d guess that when he fawked with it and you had just started the auto learn it messed the file up. Fortunately once you get it properly timed and the auto learn started back it will correct itself.

Did you grab a light yet?

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ttocs · May 19, 2018

dude if you were closer the call probably would have gone out this week but its not like your across town which still sucks here as you know.... I went out and got a timing light that night and got nothing fancy and probably overpaid at vatozone but when you need it you need it.

evilcw311 · May 19, 2018

Yeah itâ€™s 2 hours but thatâ€™s a short distance to help a friend. You know Iâ€™d be there in a heartbeat if I can. Weekends are usually easier obviously. Next time I work in that part of the state Iâ€™m gonna pull a lwarrior, just call and say Iâ€™m in your driveway!!!!! Lmao

Get that beast back to what ever Holley recommends and start learning it in. Iâ€™m guessing they want base timing set at 10 degrees btdc as ford would have it factory.

Let us know how it goes.

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ttocs · May 19, 2018

I can set it up in the tune to any timing point I want. 10 degrees just happened to show more of the timing marks, and it was easier to find. It was surging a bit tonight towards the end of the run and after looking at the data I made an adjustment to the IAC parked graph in hopes to clean that up. Afr was better this time so hopefully it was just the leak causing problems before.