Re: How do I advance the timing on my '49 Deluxe 8?

Posted by Owen_Dyneto On 2012/8/20 13:34:28

Steve, in so far as starting is concerned, those engines are not particularly sensitive to timing, a couple of degrees either way isn't the difference between starting and not starting, and arbitrarily rotating the distributor 1/4 in would not, in my view be adviseable since you don't even know now where the timing is, you're just guessing it's not right. It was right enough for the engine to start and run before so unless you've changed it, it's right enough for it to start and run now.

Assuming you replaced the points and condensor as was suggested a couple of days ago, I'm not at this point convinced your problem is even ignition. I'm focusing on the symptom of backfiring thru the carburetor and it almost starts but as soon as you relax the starter, it fails to keep running - is that right? Backfire thru the intake indicates a very lean fuel mixture as others have already pointed out. You said your accelertor jets worked (the two streams of gas you saw when stroking the carb linkage), but Im now wondering if your carburetor main jets are plugged or severely restricted. "Kind of" fits the symptoms.

If you haven't yet replaced the points and condenser, or at least filed the points and replaced the condenser, it remains the first thing to do.