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Dear All,

I am putting things back together on my 733, and now need to set the timing. I have two questions:

1) In the attached photo you will see the timing indicator and flywheel viewed through the starter port. In the photo, you will see three marks. From left to right, U.P.D.C. #1 with a tick below the C, SPARK #1 with a tick above the R, and an upward directed tick about two letters width past SPARK #1. Which of the latter two tick marks is the correct timing mark to align the pointer?

2) How do I tell if cylinder #1 is on the compression or exhaust stroke?

Thanks,

Tom

p.s. I have posted this same message over at AACA.

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Can't help you on the timing mark but the easiest way to tell if you are on the compression stroke is to remove #1 plug and put your finger in the hole and turn the engine over, you will feel the compression stroke.

Thumb on the spark plug hole always works for me.

Tom,

I have difficulties putting my finger over the spark plug because I am out in front of the engine cranking so I just make sure the rotor is pointed at the #1 terminal in the distributor.

As for the marks. UPDC is the old school version of todays TDC and that looks like yours is pretty well marked. Your spark mark should be 29/32" before the UPDC mark so you can use a piece of paper clipped or folded to 29/32" to see which mark is right.

That's my

Scott

Scott,

Like minds and all that...I decided to cut a piece of solder (easy to make into an arc) that was 29/32" long and determined that the pointer was at the right mark! Of course, I should have thought of that a little earlier...

Also, I did not realize that this distributor can only fit one way, so I was trying to make sure I was on #1 compression stroke when the rotor was pointed at the cylinder 1 distributor cap pin. Since the rotor only engages in one position (in other words, it won't fit if rotated 180 degrees) I was wasting time.

I got the car running and timed. Now I just need to figure out a couple of things:

1) Why does the engine struggle anytime the vac tank is filling, and

2) Why does the car start to idle roughly after it warms up?

Oh well, two steps forward, several steps to go.

Tom

Tom,

Sorry to say a 6v fuel pump lurks in my vacuum can so I am of limited help here. If I were to guess, I would say yours is pulling enough of your vacuum to give you "leak" symptoms.

No clue on #2. I would have to putz with the idle mixture etc...

If I were you I would put an electric pump in at least temporarily so you can rule out some things...

Scott

"If I were you I would put an electric pump in at least temporarily so you can rule out some things..."

Ah, jeez, I guess I could do that, but I really would prefer not. Of course, my preferences and physics don't always agree :) .

I am really quite mystified by the behavior. After some more tinkering, it definitely appears to be running rich when the vacuum kicks on, but there is no evidence of fuel in the vacuum line going to the manifold. Maybe an air leak around the intake manifold is giving me a false setting for the idle mix?

Arghh.

Cheers,

Tom

Dear All,

I am still having this odd behavior. Any chance that my float is still set to high and I am getting extra fuel coming in to the intake when the vacuum tank kicks in (lower pressure on the intake leading to more fuel out the nozzle)?

Thanks,

Tom

Your float may or may not be set too high, but the faltering when the vacuum tank fills suggests you've got a vacuum leak somewhere. Have you put a vacuum gauge on the intake manifold with the engine running? If so, what kind of readings do you get?

The only place I could put a vacuum gauge without drilling any new holes appears to be where the vacuum line hooks in. Is there supposed to be another place I could put a gauge?

Thanks,

Tom