6 replies to this topic

[ac427]

I need to remover my distributor because the mechanical advance has seized.  I would like to mark its timing position before removal.

 

I am looking for something semi-permanent. I don't want to resort to centre punches. Is a Sharpee good enough? 

 

How do you guys mark the position ?

[croc7]

A sharpee is good enough for temporary use but not very exact.  I have used a scribe to scratch the location on the block and distributor body, also have used a center punch to mark them.

[T.Harper]

Tipp-ex or blob of white paint

[GraemeC]

I use a paint pen - sharpie comes off too easily.

You could permanently mark the block with a centre punch or sharp chisel and then mark the dizzy to coincide with that mark

[Ethel]

Any of the above, but it's the relationship between the dizzy's shaft & body that really matters. 

 

Marking the clamp position is a bit like putting your clock back by sitting it on a 30 degree wedge, then wondering why your alarm goes off an hour early.

 

 

 

Of course it's still better to put it back nearer to how it was, but it's no substitute for using a timing strobe, ideally through the whole rev range.

 

As a general point, the farther you are from the axis, the more precise your marks will be in angular position.

[cal844]

What I usually do is find cyl#1 firing stroke, then mark the dizzy and block by use of a chisel at the centre of the rotor arm, thus gives you the rotor arm and dizzy body position in one

[weef]

I would not make any semi permanent marks just yet as the present distributer possition may no be relevent after you refurbish the unit and you will be left with an incorrect "datum". Instead I would take a couple of pictures that can give you a reference when you refit the repaired distributor as a starting point. Now fine tune the timing by your prefered method then make your reference marks using whichever method you select from the options mentioned in the previous posts.