Hello guys as the title says really struggling to get this engine to run nicely, timing seems to be all over the place, I’m attaching some photos of where I’m currently at, I’ve set the crank to tdc and the cam as close as possible, set the distributor so it points at its mark, I tried starting it like this and it was having none of it, finally got it going at retarding it quite abit, as you can see through the dizzy cap, if I rotate the dizzy towards 1 it stalls, engine is flat as ever and it firing backup the carb, it’s running a 38 Weber, ported head, large valves, fast road cam and electronic dizzy, also anyone if the tube running from a black tube with a little cylinder on the line with dist and carb written on each end, is this the vacuum advance as this was disconnected, here are some photos,


https://postimg.cc/gallery/3hkb21l8o/

Thanks!
Tom

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Originally posted by Cluelesstom also anyone if the tube running from a black tube with a little cylinder on the line with dist and carb written on each end, is this the vacuum advance as this was disconnected,

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Are you sure the vernier pulley on the cam is
in the correct position. You'll need to get the cam to overlap on No1 (clock gauge).
Once you'te sure that is correct fit/time the belt as you have described and then you will have to adjust the ignition timing (strobe light). Aligning the distributor arm to the mark is only a (very) rough guide.

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Originally posted by adithorp
You'll need to get the cam to overlap on No1 (clock gauge).

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^^^ what adithorp said

all the pulley's are key'd on a pinto
but also the TDC mark on the crank pulley isn't really good enough if your going to start messing about with a vernier pulley...



you need one of these: (often come with the camshafts)
http://www.burtonpower.com/timing-disc-degree-wheel-7-dia-td1.html
and something like welding wire to make a pointer (i.e. tig / gas type welding wire thats fairly stiff and stay exactly were you bent it to)

and a Dial gauge (Dial Test Indicator) with a magnetic stand - like this cheap and cheerful one: (can't vouch for its quality, there are plenty alternatives available)
https://www.amazon.co.uk/indicator-gauge-magnetic-stand-TE107TE108/dp/B01HR4E1A6/ref=sr_1_11?rps=1&ie=UTF8&qid=1527408753&sr=8-11&keyw ords=magnetic+dti+stand&refinements=p_76%3A419159031


and to make finding true TDC easy without removing the head you can make a piston stop like this one I made from an old spark plug:

Piston Stop 1
Piston Stop 2

All I did was hollow it out and tap a thread down the middle - I turned up the rod on the lathe only because I couldn't find an old bolt the right size - and the nut is just a locknut to hold it solid

-once you've got the timing wheel and pointer mounted its just a case of turning over the engine very slowly by hand until the piston hits the stop - mark this position on the timing wheel (it'll be somewhere just before TDC)
-then turn the engine backwards until it hits from the other side and mark that position too.
-True TDC is now exactly halfway between these 2 marks - so remove the stop and turn it till the pointer is at this half way point (so now the bottom end is at true TDC, but the pointer might not say TDC yet)
-then without moving the crank adjust the pointer until it shows TDC (aka 0° )



next is what kind of cam have you got ? it should have specific timing figures to help get it very close to its optimum timing (although the perfect timing could still be a couple of degrees off this, but you need a dyno for that )

then your ready to get the cam properly timed
you could do worse than following this guide: http://www.burtonpower.com/tuning-guides/tuning-guide-pages/camshaft-fitting-timing.html


I'd be less worried about the dizzy - if its close enough then it'll start, then you can adjust it till its right - but if the cam's off......





[Edited on 27/5/2018 by mcerd1]

Brilliant thank you, I’ve purchase the two items and will set on making a stop now
What’s the process of finding tdc on the cam with the gauge?
Also Does the vacuum advance need to be in as it was disconnected when I bought the car.
Thanks again.

quote:

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Originally posted by Cluelesstom
Brilliant thank you, I’ve purchase the two items and will set on making a stop now
What’s the process of finding tdc on the cam with the gauge?
Also Does the vacuum advance need to be in as it was disconnected when I bought the car.
Thanks again.

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Also I should add a note of caution - if you get the cam timing badly wrong there is a chance that you could end up with bent valves
so take your time, double and triple check everything and never make assumptions.

as for the dizzy timing the worst that can happen is the engine won't run

Pintosuarus is a non interference engine so you should not be able to damage the valves.

They work best with the cam advanced 5 -7 degrees.

^^^ Only 2.0 pinto's without significant mods are non-interference engines

I doesn't take much in the way of High lift cams, big valves, head skimming before they become an interference engine


Mine only has 2mm clear on the valves when its all timed correctly so it wouldn't take much error in the timing for it to be a very bad day

I best be careful then, I’ve just found out it’s a Kent 32 fast road cam, wish me luck! Hopefully no bent valves
Thanks

Result! Did a compression test and found them to be quite low, took the Rocker cover off to find all of the valves to be tight,
Adjusted to the recommended, and bliney what a change, runs well but still not all the way there, a little more playing and it’ll be somewhere close!
This engine was built by a ford guy... just goes to show.
Thanks for all your help!

[Edited on 27/5/18 by Cluelesstom]

^^ it always pays to check the basics first and not make any assumptions that its been done right before


assuming you'll still get yourself a dial gauge, timing disc/wheel and a piston stop then you'll have the tools to confirm all the timing on this and any future engines you have

also the DTI has plenty of other uses too - you can use it measure actual valve lift (if its setup exatly in line with the valve stem) and timing to help ID an unknown cam, you can verify the timing marks on the crank pulley for your strobe later, its what you need if you want to check hubs and brake discs for run out/warping, it lets you do fancy setup's on a lathe, and so on.....
not a tool you'll use every day, but when you can get them for less that £30 and it saves you an expensive visit to the professionals its well worth it IMHO


[Edited on 29/5/2018 by mcerd1]

Yeah all ordered mate, will come in handy I’m sure, going to see how far I can get on my own with this engine then think about finding a pro
With a rolling road to get the most out of it, any idea of the figures I should expect from my engine specs?
Thanks