qim Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) Finally, I decided to have a go at the timing, even if the car was running well(albeit not as low on petrol as I wished) after yesterday's long run. I started by making sure my little light worked, attaching one end to the distributor nut, and the other to the white wire after taking it off the coil. Loosened the nuts that hold the ditributor and because I was afraid that I might mess it up, and just to test the light, I turned the engine via the fan. The light LIT and went out and I felt I was ready for the big thing. So, now with light in place and after lining up the timing mark with the pointer, I started to turn the dizzy anticlockwise until the light lit, and waited till it went out. Did that a few times and stopped just where the light LIT. It was strange because the dizzy instead of being reasonably parallel to the engine, was now with the vacuum unit pointing inwards towards the engine. I did not get what Macy's described as "find the spot where the light just blinks on with any movement of the distributor". I got all or nothing. Maybe I have the wrong type of bulb. I tried the engine and all I could get was disagreable noises. It would not start. I gave up and turned the dizzy back to more or less where it was before and decided to do it with the strobe. Another disaster: the strobe did not budge from the initially set 10º and I gave up. After setting the timing by sight, simply by using the strobe to place the white mark a little before the pointer, and adjusting the tick-over I managed to get a reasonable tune. Took the car out round the block and was surprised that it is OK, perhaps even better than before. I am leaving tomorrow and have to wait till I get back on the 16th to see what is wrong with the strobe light (or with me!). But more important now, where did I go wrong with my little light following Macy's instructions? http://www.macysgarage.com/myweb6/ign-timing2.htm Could it be that after turning the dizzy anticlockwise till the light lit, I should then go the other way until it lit again? EDIT Another point: When I lined up the white mark with the pointer, I thought that the rotor should be pointing towards either nº 1 or nº4 spark plugs. Well, it was not and I did nothing about it. The back of the rotor (the black plastic part was pointing towards the nº1 piston, but the metal part was pointing in the opposite direction. What should I have done? Camilo Edited September 3, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) Macy's instructions have the light connected differently so that it comes ON when the points open. Yours is connected as we have described in the other thread, and will go OFF when the points open. That is why the distributor ended up in the wrong place. You can still use the Macy adjustment with the way you have it connected but you must adjust for the light going OFF. Edited September 3, 2017 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
john.r.davies Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Camilo, You don't mention the brand or type of timing stroboscope you, but a common cause of mis-setting is the 'advance' control on the gun itself. This is for cars with only a single mark on the crank pulley. You set the advance on the gun, and adjust the distributor until the timing marks align. But if the knob is NOT set to zero when you time a Triumph, with its degree marks, then the two advances are added together. Check that you have the advance knob on the gun on the Zero mark! And if when running the engine, and using the strobe, there is no movement of the timing marks when you rev the engine, then the automatic, centrifugal advance mechanism inside the distributor is seized. Remove the moving plate that carries the points, release and lubricate (sparingly!) the weights. John Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Hi Rob Well, this was a good disaster because i manged to get the car back and realized that it can be tuned by sight... Did you read one of various my Edits about the rotor not pointing towards nº1 or nº 4 pistons? So, next time I have to turn the dizzy anticlockwise until the light lights and then go clockwise until it goes off. is that it? Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Camilo, You don't mention the brand or type of timing stroboscope you, but a common cause of mis-setting is the 'advance' control on the gun itself. This is for cars with only a single mark on the crank pulley. You set the advance on the gun, and adjust the distributor until the timing marks align. But if the knob is NOT set to zero when you time a Triumph, with its degree marks, then the two advances are added together. Check that you have the advance knob on the gun on the Zero mark! And if when running the engine, and using the strobe, there is no movement of the timing marks when you rev the engine, then the automatic, centrifugal advance mechanism inside the distributor is seized. Remove the moving plate that carries the points, release and lubricate (sparingly!) the weights. John Hi John Thanks but the strobe gun is new and worked fine last week. The dizzy is in good condition and worked fine yesterday over 500 km. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
RobH Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) So, next time I have to turn the dizzy anticlockwise until the light lights and then go clockwise until it goes off. is that it? Yes that's it Camilo. Turn the body anti clockwise until the lamp is ON with the heel of the points to the right of the lobe on the square shaft. Then move it slowly clockwise until the light just goes out. The rotor arm should point to the dizzy cap contact for 1 or 4 - not to the cylinder block itself. Edited September 3, 2017 by RobH Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Thanks Rob I feel a lot more confident about it now, and will get it right in the end, Regards Camilo Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Hi again Camilo ~ I see a trip to Lisboa on the horizon!! Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
qim Posted September 3, 2017 Author Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 (edited) Hi again Camilo ~ I see a trip to Lisboa on the horizon!! Tom. Yes, do come, but the car will be ready by then. In fact, I think it is ready now, simply by sight (without lights or strobes!| Edited September 3, 2017 by qim Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Fireman049 Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Well Done Camilo! (There goes my trip to Lisboa!!!) Tom. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Geko Posted September 3, 2017 Report Share Posted September 3, 2017 Well, this was a good disaster because i manged to get the car back and realized that it can be tuned by sight... Next step is tuning it by ear, then you'll have the knack and you're done with timing headache Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.