Setting the timing on a Ghibli..Newbie ???

Timing marks on the Maserati V8 are located on the flywheel. There is an inspection hole on the bottom of the bell housing.

TDC will be marked as PMS

You need to be below the engine shinning your light up into this hole with the engine running. Or perhaps use a mirror, although I have not been too successful with this. I usually set teh engine on TDC and then temporarily paint a mark somewhere on the top of the engine that I can see with my light.

On some early V8 there were no timing marks and you will need to located TDC by measuring piston #1 movement.

Ivan

 

Ignition timing is easy, cam timing is trickier (no index marks).

 

What you mean?

 

Oh it's all part of the fun Steve! I usually route the run wires carefully (REAL CAREFULLY!) and crawl under there then back to the distributor ... etc.

JUst be glad it's not an old Lamborghini V12. They're marked on the bottom too but just barely. Very hard to find. I did as Ivan suggests on that car and added a mark on the front pulley.

Bob S.

 

I don't know about your car but mine (Bora) is clearly marked on the flywheel and there's an alignment mark on the bell housing window. Yours may be different.

I suggest you take a photo and post it here for folks to look at and interpret for you.

Bob S.

 

Sorry for the quality, some blury pictures of the Khamsin Timing access hole.
Graeme
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It's different from my Bora Steve. That's under your bell housing. It looks too small in diameter? What are those other socket headed screws? The shots from the Khamnsin look familair but yours do not.
Those are two different holes???

Anyone else with a Ghibli on here?

Now, are there any marks on the flywheel itself?

On my Bora there are degree marks before and after the PMS mark on the flywheel but I have a bigger inspection hole so it's easier to see things as well.

If your flywheel is properly marked then all you need to do is scribe a line across the center of that hole. Then to make certain it's correct (there have been "stories" about factory errors) is a bit more involved. Using the marks on the flywheel for timing will be a lot more accurate because of the larger diameter than that of the front pulley. Put a mark on the front pulley too!

So let's see if you can find all the markings on your flywheel. If those are missing then this could pretty interesting for you but not impossible. If you can find your way around female plumbing you can do this too.

I've never been able to properly locate the timing marks on my wife ....

Bob S.

 

Hi Graeme,

It's been a while since I've looked under my Bora but do those two brass screws secure a pointer?

Bob S.

 

Ah well sort of. You can find TDC at least a couple of ways. With a scew in dial indicator or with a piston stop which you can make. The later method is the one I like. I use a TDC whistle to get the engine reasonably close to TDC. It's cheap and it works great. You can also just stick a thin screw driver in there and see when it's near the top. Then you can buy rod threaded the same as your spark plug and put a couple of locking nuts on it. Round and smooth the end going in the cylinder so as not to leave any marks. Then with a degree wheel on the the front of the engine you calibrate the stop for say 30 degrees BTC. Mark the degree wheel. Then you remove the the piston stop, rotate it 40-45 degrees past TDC, insert the piston stop again and rotate it backwards till it stops. Mark the degree wheel and then find the middle between the before and after marks. I've done the dial indicator and it always leaves me feeling like I did pretty good but just missed it. It's probably just me ...

You're going to need degree markings before TDC as well. Now you'll need an accurate way of marking the actual number of degrees from TDC required. Having the circuference of the flywheel would be most helpful.

The degree wheel approach might not be possible with the engine in the car Steve.

Also try cleaning that flywheel very well, maybe with a scotch brite pad or a small SS brush. The years discoloration and rust may have obscured the markings.


Bob S.

 

I just don't have one Steve ... I like having the marks. There have been issues with some of those timing lights with some ignition systems but probably not a stock system like yours. You don't have an MSD ignition? The one I borrowed didn't have what looked like a really accurate dial either. Hard to second guess precise marks on the flywheel.

I'd be flagergasted if there really are no marks on the flywheel. Keep an eye for a big zero "0" punched in the end of one of the teeth. Might look like a "C". I've seen that as well.

Bob S.

 

Is that an Ignitor I or II based kit? The Ignitor II can not be used with solid core wires.

Bob S.

 

Correct, the only mark you need is TDC if you have a dial back timing light, which I find almost essential for these cars. Use a Sharpie pen and mark a line in the center of the hole. Then rotate the engine with the starter until the rotor is near cylinder #1. With a large flat blade screwdriver then carefully rotate the flywheel using the bottom hole until PMS is found. Put another mark somewhere in the front pulley that you can see from the top.

Ivan

 

Oh well the next time you'll do it that way. ;>) Plus on these engines removing the plugs is so GD easy. Try a Lamborghini V12. With practive I've go it down to 1/2 hour or is it 1/2 hour a bank? Also with a lot of back breaking leaning over. The Maserati V8 is just so nice by comparison.

Glad to see you've finally found the mark.

But honestly now Steve, you really should time the engine from underneath the car. There's just the magic of crawling under that very hot 3600? lb beast while it's running with the hot exhaust so close and the dripping oil plus those fumes! ;>))

Bob S.