1955 292cid where is the crank pully TDC notch?

[zeroroadkill]

I cannot locate a notch on the crank pulley to determine TDC. There is a pointer, but no degree gauge. Do I need to get #1 to TDC and mark the pully?

How can you tell 6° BTDC without a timing gauge on the engine/pulley? I just have an old SUN timing light without an advance meter.

Is there a special procedure for timing besides disconnecting the vacuum line from the carb to the distributor?

Thanks
Bob

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[jack-in-sac]

I cannot locate a notch on the crank pulley to determine TDC. There is a pointer, but no degree gauge. Do I need to get #1 to TDC and mark the pully?

How can you tell 6° BTDC without a timing gauge on the engine/pulley? I just have an old SUN timing light without an advance meter.

Is there a special procedure for timing besides disconnecting the vacuum line from the carb to the distributor?

Thanks
Bob

It is not easy to see but there is a slight notch on the pulley. Once located I suggest then marking it with white marker or at least chalk. Refer to manual for this.

 

[zeroroadkill]

In that article it shows 4 notches, is each notch 2°?

 

[doug7740]

The 0 on the crank pulley is TDC and each notch after the 0 represents 2 degrees before TDC.

doug7740
1955 Thunderbird Blue

 

[zeroroadkill]

I don't have the other notches so I use the top of the pointer to achieve 6°BTDC

Do you know where to get timing tape for the pulley?

 

[Ward 57]

Timing tape? never heard about it. How would it ever stay on? The indicators are kind of supple so you really have to look especially if there is a coat or two over them. . I keep a piece of white chalk in my tool box to scrub over them when I want to check the timing and when I replaced the water pump I painted the tip of the pointer white.

 

[jack-in-sac]

Timing tape? never heard about it. How would it ever stay on? The indicators are kind of supple so you really have to look especially if there is a coat or two over them. . I keep a piece of white chalk in my tool box to scrub over them when I want to check the timing and when I replaced the water pump I painted the tip of the pointer white.

Timing tape will not work here. It is applied on a harmonic balancer that has a flat face on the circumference.

 

[zeroroadkill]

Timing tape will not work here. It is applied on a harmonic balancer that has a flat face on the circumference.

Yes I noticed that! But i did buy an advance meter light and my initial timing was right at 6°BTDC! Figured the width of the pointer is 6° From center to edge.

 

[jack-in-sac]

You may be spot on for the factory specifications. However when you have some mileage on the engine the timing chain stretches and the timing is changed when you think you are still spot on. I then recommend using a vacuum gauge for verifying correct timing. I have also found that the factory setting is not the best for where I live. I have often seen 10 degrees of initial advance to get the best performance. this of course also assumes that your vacuum advance in the distributor is operable. To quote Rosanna Rosannadanna; "it's always something".

 

[zeroroadkill]

I bought an advanced timing light and set it for 6°BTDC and the TDC mark lined up. The car only has 56,000 miles on it and the engine was gone through maybe 30,000 miles ago? Just a guess. Compression still 130 so maybe not. It was timed at 6°ATDC when I bought her and she still ran good! These “Y” blocks are awesome! Smooth as a kitten. I do feel some repetitive harmonic vibration at 50mph so I’m thinking maybe I should replace the U-joints. If it persists I’ll balance the drive shaft.

 

[Vicegrips85]

I cannot locate a notch on the crank pulley to determine TDC. There is a pointer, but no degree gauge. Do I need to get #1 to TDC and mark the pully?

How can you tell 6° BTDC without a timing gauge on the engine/pulley? I just have an old SUN timing light without an advance meter.

Is there a special procedure for timing besides disconnecting the vacuum line from the carb to the distributor?

Thanks
Bob

 

[zeroroadkill]

There are many answers in this thread. You can carefully search on the pully for the grove (TDC) and mark it with white paint, you can do the #1 cylinder to TDC (compression stroke), to help find the grove, you can use a timing light connected to #1 sparkplug and should see the grove in the pully. The timing arrow is about 6° wide. If the car runs fine, finding the grove on the pully should be visible close to the arrow tip.