The Ford Barn

glennpm · 05-25-2024, 02:24 PM

Is the center mark of the timing advance plate 4° advanced when the plate is inline with the distributor case mark? I believe it is.

Bored&Stroked · 05-25-2024, 03:43 PM

I think that is what it is supposed to be . . . but I always have a TDC marker and an adjustable timing light to know what I'm really getting. I don't trust the distributor, the slot in the cam or anything else to be exact.

glennpm · 05-25-2024, 04:00 PM

Thanks B&S.

I have a TDC marks and a pointer and plan to check tomorrow.

Glenn

38 coupe · Yesterday, 06:00 AM

Glenn, please post the results of testing with your timing light, I'm curious how the stack up of tolerances and 80 years of wear have affected the distributor timing mark.

glennpm · Yesterday, 06:22 AM

Stay tuned Fred :-)

38 coupe · Yesterday, 06:42 AM

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These days I typically advance a front mount distributor several notches more than factory spec and find the engine runs better. I suspect that is due to a bit of wear in both the front slot of the cam and in the drive tang of the distributor.

Today's fuel with octane higher than the 1930s, with a bit of alcohol in it, probably matters too.

Bored&Stroked · Yesterday, 08:52 AM

I'm with 38 - usually I have to advance the timing and I always have timing marks on my pulleys (when I build engines). Usually, I try to get to 24 degrees (total) and that takes at least a few marks forward (clockwise).

glennpm · Yesterday, 11:10 AM

Here you go ....

I set the distributor up using the static method shown in early bulletins and also on Van Pelts site. Note that this is a rebuilt distributor that I got from Drake or Carpenter decades ago. The 3/8" is a bolt not a drill bit.

The result of this gave me ~7° advance on the Distributor adjustment tab.
I got a little pinging under heavy load. I then backed it off 1° and screwed the vacuum brake in a half turn by hand. It was loose. Perfect starting and road test.

I had a few years ago found TDC with the zip tie method, made a pointer and marked the belt pulley inside and outside the groove.
This picture shows the pulley at 180°. I notched the pulley and painted marks for TDC.

This is the current adjustment plate position of 6° BTDC

Drum roll ...

Summary:

- Static distributor timing yielded 7° advance
- Changed slide plate down to 6°
- My dial type Craftsman timing light confirmed 6° at 500 RPM. My engine won't idle at 400 RPM. I like my idle about 1K
- 23° advanced at ~2,500 RPM

Glenn

glennpm · Yesterday, 11:17 AM

Oh, this is with regular ethanol gas, 87 octane.

38 coupe · Yesterday, 06:18 PM

Thanks for the report and the pictures. I find I usually have good results with the advance half way between the middle and the end of the scale, and run down the vacuum brake a few turns if needed to take care of any pinging. However, I have only worked on stock engines that are probably fairly tolerant of ignition timing.

Is this the engine the distributor is mounted on? My memory is your engine is a bit "turned up" compared to mine, which may make things a bit more sensitive to timing.

Mart · Today, 03:02 AM

Hi Glen. Is that the wide land side or the narrow land side?
I couldn't find the pics in the other thread.

05-25-2024, 02:24 PM	#1
glennpm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Wiscasset, Maine Posts: 2,046	Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Is the center mark of the timing advance plate 4° advanced when the plate is inline with the distributor case mark? I believe it is. __________________ Archives of historical but relevant older articles: ------------- Hover mouse over the links below and click! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------------- Rumble Seat's Notes Techno-Source for the 1932 thru 1953 Flathead Ford

05-25-2024, 03:43 PM	#2
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,187	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor I think that is what it is supposed to be . . . but I always have a TDC marker and an adjustable timing light to know what I'm really getting. I don't trust the distributor, the slot in the cam or anything else to be exact.

05-25-2024, 04:00 PM	#3
glennpm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Wiscasset, Maine Posts: 2,046	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Thanks B&S. I have a TDC marks and a pointer and plan to check tomorrow. Glenn __________________ Archives of historical but relevant older articles: ------------- Hover mouse over the links below and click! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------------- Rumble Seat's Notes Techno-Source for the 1932 thru 1953 Flathead Ford

Yesterday, 06:00 AM	#4
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,680	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Glenn, please post the results of testing with your timing light, I'm curious how the stack up of tolerances and 80 years of wear have affected the distributor timing mark.

Yesterday, 06:22 AM	#5
glennpm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Wiscasset, Maine Posts: 2,046	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Stay tuned Fred :-) __________________ Archives of historical but relevant older articles: ------------- Hover mouse over the links below and click! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------------- Rumble Seat's Notes Techno-Source for the 1932 thru 1953 Flathead Ford

Yesterday, 06:42 AM	#6
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,680	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Sponsored Links (Register now to hide all advertisements) These days I typically advance a front mount distributor several notches more than factory spec and find the engine runs better. I suspect that is due to a bit of wear in both the front slot of the cam and in the drive tang of the distributor. Today's fuel with octane higher than the 1930s, with a bit of alcohol in it, probably matters too.

Yesterday, 08:52 AM	#7
Bored&Stroked Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2011 Location: Central Ohio Posts: 5,187	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor I'm with 38 - usually I have to advance the timing and I always have timing marks on my pulleys (when I build engines). Usually, I try to get to 24 degrees (total) and that takes at least a few marks forward (clockwise).

Yesterday, 11:10 AM	#8
glennpm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Wiscasset, Maine Posts: 2,046	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Here you go .... I set the distributor up using the static method shown in early bulletins and also on Van Pelts site. Note that this is a rebuilt distributor that I got from Drake or Carpenter decades ago. The 3/8" is a bolt not a drill bit. The result of this gave me ~7° advance on the Distributor adjustment tab. I got a little pinging under heavy load. I then backed it off 1° and screwed the vacuum brake in a half turn by hand. It was loose. Perfect starting and road test. I had a few years ago found TDC with the zip tie method, made a pointer and marked the belt pulley inside and outside the groove. This picture shows the pulley at 180°. I notched the pulley and painted marks for TDC. This is the current adjustment plate position of 6° BTDC Drum roll ... Summary: - Static distributor timing yielded 7° advance - Changed slide plate down to 6° - My dial type Craftsman timing light confirmed 6° at 500 RPM. My engine won't idle at 400 RPM. I like my idle about 1K - 23° advanced at ~2,500 RPM Glenn __________________ Archives of historical but relevant older articles: ------------- Hover mouse over the links below and click! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------------- Rumble Seat's Notes Techno-Source for the 1932 thru 1953 Flathead Ford Last edited by glennpm; Yesterday at 12:52 PM.

Yesterday, 11:17 AM	#9
glennpm Senior Member Join Date: Sep 2014 Location: Wiscasset, Maine Posts: 2,046	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Oh, this is with regular ethanol gas, 87 octane. __________________ Archives of historical but relevant older articles: ------------- Hover mouse over the links below and click! ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~--------------- Rumble Seat's Notes Techno-Source for the 1932 thru 1953 Flathead Ford

Yesterday, 06:18 PM	#10
38 coupe Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: South Texas Posts: 1,680	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Thanks for the report and the pictures. I find I usually have good results with the advance half way between the middle and the end of the scale, and run down the vacuum brake a few turns if needed to take care of any pinging. However, I have only worked on stock engines that are probably fairly tolerant of ignition timing. Is this the engine the distributor is mounted on? My memory is your engine is a bit "turned up" compared to mine, which may make things a bit more sensitive to timing.

Today, 03:02 AM	#11
Mart Senior Member Join Date: May 2010 Location: Solihull, England. Posts: 8,782	Re: Timing advance plate - Crab Distributor Hi Glen. Is that the wide land side or the narrow land side? I couldn't find the pics in the other thread.