<VV> Moveable Timing etc.

[Phil Ellis]

I can see that's Pete's timing issue has quite correctly generated a lot of
discussion. I may be out to lunch, but my understanding is that where the
distributor shaft gear is set in the drive gear does make a difference! But
it's not in the way you may think. First of all, I agree that you can time
the engine 'manually' wherever the gear on the distributor shaft is located.
However, the timing notch on the crank pulley will not be within the timing
scale on the timing cover unless the distributor shaft gear is at the
correct location. When Pete's timing 'appeared' to be 36 degrees out it
really wasn't. It was timed correctly (i.e. rotor at no. 1 wire when #1
piston near top of compression stroke) but the notch on the balancer was
rotated. Why? Because the harmonic balancer timing notch, balancer keyway,
crank gear, distributor shaft gear and hence the rotor mounting notch are
all physically tied together at a pre-determined orientation. If you move
the distributor gear by one tooth this arrangement is changed and you get
the 'perception' that the timing is off when checking the #1 rotor position
with the #1 compression stroke. Just rotating the plug wires on the
distributor cap does not fix this problem. A bit of a mind bender but that
is how I see it. But then I have been known to hallucinate :-)

Fire away!

Phil