Ignition timing

Hi. Bit of a dumb question, but I'm finding the "English" in the owners manual difficult to follow.

Assuming the distributor is working normally, to set the timing, the mark on the crank pulley needs to be aligned with the 6degree and then the mark on the distributor rotor arm should be lined up with the mark on the distributor body. If not the loosen and realign the distributor body.

Does this sound right?

Any other tricks/pitfalls?

Thanks

 

Some pitfalls. If distributor was removed, there are preconditions. #3 must be at top dead center. #3 intake valve must have just closed and all timing marks on cams should be up. I know you can't see the timing marks. There are two ways for distributor to go on, 180 deg apart. Use the position shown in the book for the distributor rotor. Rotate distributor body until points open at the 6 deg mark. Tighten distributor and it should run. Use timing light to set timing exactly and check advance. If there is spark but the engine doesn't fire, you have the rotor off 180 degrees. Pull distributor and rotate rotor 180 deg. Try again.
When you remove distributor for any reason, mark cam dogs, distributor dogs and fiber coupler with spots of white paint so you never get lost. You don't hurt anything if you do get lost but it is a pain to fix.
John

 

Appreciate the reply John. So that means I hook the timing light up to #3 and the pulley mark should line up with the 6degree mark????

 

Right! Set idle at 1000 RPM, timing light on #3, set distributor so pulley mark is at 6 deg. You are done if distributor advance is working properly. Good idea to slowly run engine up to 5,500 and back down. Timing mark position should smoothly move 30 deg and back. Now go out and drive it.
John