[SprintCC]

Having a problem with the timing of my 66 200 I6. Car has been in storage for a while. Got it running roughly last fall. When I timed it "by-ear" for a somewhat steady idle, it was running about 18 degrees advanced. Reset it to Factory (6 degrees I think), and it won't run now.

Someone told me my distributer was off by 1 tooth. Another said no, my Harmonic balancer was the problem, it probably needed to be replaced and had "slipped" so it was reading high when it was actually not. A 3rd said my timing chain was shot and I needed to replace it.

Any ideas on which it could be (or maybe all 3). Any easy checks to see if the harmonic balancer is bad? And the timing chain? I'd rather not have to replace that unless it's is actually needed. How do you tell if the dist. is off by one tooth?

Also, which way do you turn the dist. to advance the timing. All the manuals I've read say something like "turn dist. until desired readings are found" I'm afraid that if I turn it the wrong way, I'll screw something up.

Thanks!

SprintCC

 

[Art]

You can get a "ballpark" idea if your timing mark is off by removing the spark plugs, using a penlight, bring #1 piston to the very top of the bore (Turn the engine with the fan). When #1 piston is all the way to the top, check the timing marks...The pointer should be pointing to "0".

While the sparkplugs are out, remove the distributor cap. Turning the crankshaft foward and backward, observe the rotor button... If you can turn the crankshaft over two inches without moving the rotor button, it's time for a timing set.

If the distributor has free movement in both directions (rotation), then it is indexed correctly on the gear.

To advance timing, turn the distributor counter clockwise (6cyl.).

 

[Guest]

One thing to add to Art's post. That piston comes up twice! Once on the exhaust stroke, and again on the compression stroke. To tell if it's coming up on the compression stroke, and you can't see the intake valve, put your finger in that hole as you're turning the engine over. When you feel the pressure, then use your flash light. Either time the piston is all the way up, the timing marks will be lined up, but you don't care when the piston is up on the exhaust stroke. Hope this makes sense.