I trying to install a crane xr3000 ignition on a '67 FIAT Dino Coupe. (same engine as the early Ferrari Dino) the service manual indicates that when the crank pully is lined up with the TDC marker the rotor should point to the red mark on the distributor body but I have no such mark. I think this engines "TDC" is for cylinder #3 but the manual I have doesnt specify this. also I want to confirm that cylinder #3 is the rearmost cylinder on the right side if you are facing the rear of the engine (flywheel side). the distributor is a dual point type and the shaft has three lobes. Ive set it up so that the crank pully lined up with the TDC mark and checked that #3 is @TDC on the compresion stroke but in this position the rotor is pointing to #4 on the dist cap. seems it should be pointing to #3 but thats where it was when the points were being used and it was running allthough not smoothly and wouldnt advance. now when I line up the optical trigger in this same position the car wont start and pops/backfires through the carbs so somethings off.. since I dont have any markings to go by here I think someone previously may have set the distributor drive gear in the wrong place? anyone know how to set this up from scratch? the manual I have just doesnt cut it since it referances marks I dont have. basically I need to know where the rotor should point when the crank pully marks are lined up to TDC? thanks
Starmoto, maybe this image can help you, and for the red mark maybe the color is gone but on the picture you can see a notch on top of the distributor thats the same as the red mark. And if it keeps pops/backfires turn the rotor 180 degrees clockwise hope this can help you. Rob, Image Unavailable, Please Login Image Unavailable, Please Login
I actually would not trust any markings by now, especially on the FIAT version of the Dino as they were butchered by who knows how backyard mechanics over the decades. As you can see in the first pic on my website http://www.dinospider.com/distributor.html I have at least 4 marks for TDC on my distributor housing (along with other major damage). One thing that really helped me get things under control was a cut distributor cap (A BAD ONE because its way too expensive to cut up a good one), so that I could see the rotors and exactly where things were as I rotated the motor. On that page above you can see I installed a Crane along with the optical pickup, it worked great although I am back with points now. If you are really messed up with the timing, you may have to pull the valve covers and check the timing of everything but I really doubt that is necessary, line up the crank with the marks and setup the dizzy with #3 and all should be good.
Be very careful when trying to identify the cylinder that the rotor is pointing to. This entire procedure is quite easy once you realize that the rotor's orientation is not at all correlated with the plug wire. To illustrate, when the rotor is pointing to the plug wire for cylinder number three on top of the cap, lift the cap and look underneath (the inside of the cap). Note that the "via" conductor for the brass contact is actually running to the other side of the cap, to a different cylinder. I do not have a cap in front of me, so I cannot give you precise routing. Simply realize that the rotor is not pointing to the currently firing cylinder. Timing for the Dino engine, including the Fiat, is off of cylinder number 1. The notch on the distributor is for cylinder number 1, although I believe that the rotor, when pointing to the notch, will not be pointing to the spark plug wire for cylinder number 1. Check the top and bottom of the cap. It does not matter which cylinder that you time off of. Each cylinder is timed to 6 degrees BTDC static. Simply turn your crank pulley so that the mark is lined up with triangular plate at 6 degrees BTDC. Then look at your rotor and figure out which cylinder it is pointing at (look under the cap). That is the cylinder currently in compression and ready to fire. Now move the distributor back and forth on the adjustment slot until the test light or the Crane goes on. Hope this helps. Jim S.
Quick indicator, if the rotor points to 4pm when seen from the front, you are (roughly) at TDC for cylinder #3. See below for cylinder/rotor relation (different to the cap as Jim pointed out above). Image Unavailable, Please Login
hey Guys! thanks for all the input. on this distributor there is a notch but it is not in the same location as the one in your photo. I referance it by the distributor cap positioning stud next to the caps attachment threads and also the old points lead stud. the only notch this one has is at 12:00 as I got it and that is where #1 cylinder terminal is in the dist. cap. 180 from that would be #4 instead of pulling the cam cover I pulled the spark plug out and installed a compression guage hose then checked it by blowing air in to see if both valves were closed which confirms it is in the compression stroke. yes this car has had numerous backyard and ill concieved attemps to maintain and repair. some of the worst Ive seen on any FIAT actually and Ive seen many. Very frustrating.. hmmm... I guess I need to verify that when the marks on the crank pulley are indicating it is TDC that the #1 cylinder is TDC on compression stroke. if this is the case then that should get it started. very helpful. another complication that Ive had with this is the distributor cap is not the original type it came with and that the service manual referances as having all spark leads coming out the same direction. the cap I have is like the later models where for each bank of cylinders, the leads are on opposite sides. no to mention these old itailian service manuals have nearly zero attention to details. thats accross the board for all make/models from italy in from my experience and actually gets worse as you go up in scale (Ferrari being at the top ofcourse) they are not bad after 1990 or so but the earliest ones are almost useless. I am glad this car has any timing marks at all. seems to be a random thing for them arround this era. Im sure some of you have seen this.. if not imagin trying to check or adjust valve lashes on an engine with no timing marks. (anywhere!) yeah.. bring out the dial indicators and start from scratch. I really appreciate everyones input on this! I should be able to get it started now without too much trouble unless somone has previously mis-allignd the distributor drive that bolts into the end of the camshaft but even if thats the case with the helpful info y'all have provided here I should be able to sort it out now without resorting to trial and error adjustments of this drive gear. Thanks!
