Timing Marks on Farmall C 1950

FarmallC1950 · May 18, 2016

Just bought a 1950 Farmall C, I rebuilt the engine and ran into a problem with the flywheel, when 1 is at TDC the mark on the flywheel is at 9 o?clock position when looking front to back, when it should be at the 6. When I inspected the flywheel the casting code is E which tells me it?s a 1959 flywheel replacement. There is no marking DC/1-4 on this fly wheel, my question is when the DC/1-4 line matches up with the indicator on the 1950 flywheel is it TDC, Before TDC or After TDC. Thanks

Janicholson · May 18, 2016

There is no before or after, TDC is an exact alignment of the crank and rod and piston. As far as it will travel upwards. Jim

FarmallC1950 · May 19, 2016

So you are saying the DC/1-4 marking on the original flywheel is top dead center and the /1-4 stands for nothing else. Thank you

BarnyardEngineering · May 19, 2016

DC/1-4 means cylinders 1 and 4 are on top dead center.

You're lucky. There is no mark on the flywheel of my C at all. Apparently some came that way. Fortunately you can pull the #1 spark plug and see the piston come up on TDC so it's easy to time.

teddy52food · May 19, 2016

Are you sure you have it on right? Maybe it will fit with the mark at 6:00 too.

Jim Becker · May 19, 2016

The flywheel is held by four bolts. That means it could be bolted on 90 or 180 degrees off. However, there should also be a dowel pin that only lets it go on one of the four ways. I suppose the dowel could be missing and the flywheel misinstalled.

Janicholson · May 19, 2016

To really get a new TDC mark on the flywheel for timing (base timing is correctly set at TDC not running) do the following:
To establish the real timing mark location. (Carefully do the following) Disconnect the battery. Remove the insulator from an old spark plug that is from the engine. Braze or weld a 3/8" course thread nut onto the shell so it lines up with the remaining hole. Using 3/8 course threaded rod about 5 inches long as a "feeler". Round the end of the rod on a grinder to make it useful as a probe and not scar things. Remove all the spark plugs. Use an LED flashlight to look into the #1 plug hole, and position the piston near the top, but not at the top. Put the "Feeler" device in the #1 hole with the threaded rod removed. Thread the rod into the "feeler" device and screw it in by finger pressure only till it touches the piston top. Put a lock nut on the rod to assure it is stable and rigid. Using the fan blades only, turn the engine gently in the direction toward the "feeler" (It should not move any or vary little). Use a straight edge from a location like the top of the frame rail to the inner flange of the crank pulley (not fan pulley) use a white marker to mark this spot as known (temporary). Turn the engine carefully the opposite direction 350 degrees or so until the piston touches the "Feeler" again. Mark this spot temporarily. These two marks are very accurate known locations. 1/2 the distance between them is a very accurate TDC. File a notch at that location on the flywheel in this case, and you have established a TDC mark. That mark will be correct for TDC compression and TDC exhaust on both #1 and 4 on a IH 4 cylinder tractor, so no need to determine which is which. Timing the ignition does require knowing which stroke it is on. but at least you have a real mark. Jim

RTR · May 19, 2016

(quoted from post at 06:37:53 05/19/16) Just bought a 1950 Farmall C, I rebuilt the engine and ran into a problem with the flywheel, when 1 is at TDC the mark on the flywheel is at 9 o?clock position when looking front to back, when it should be at the 6. When I inspected the flywheel the casting code is E which tells me it?s a 1959 flywheel replacement. There is no marking DC/1-4 on this fly wheel, my question is when the DC/1-4 line matches up with the indicator on the 1950 flywheel is it TDC, Before TDC or After TDC. Thanks

I know this is off topic, but having that yours is a 1950 model, it is possible that it was once a dealer "demonstrator". Do you see any traces of White Paint on the tractor anywhere (especially in hard to reach areas during a repaint)? If you don't mind posting the serial number, that would be great too.

I just like for people out there to be aware of these things because you never know what will pop up and who doesn't or wouldn't have ever known . Of course as always, we always want to see pictures of your tractor!

gene bender · May 20, 2016

Is the dowell pin in the flywheel you can put it on wrong. Does the single pin mark on the crank gear aligned with the single pin mark with the cam gear and it the dist drive gear with two pin marks lined with the two pin marks on the cam gear if all those are correct the timing marks on the flywheel will be at the 6 oclock position. They made 300,000 or so of those engines and thats the way it is. with all the marks lined up as stated you are correct. Earlier engines even had a pointer on the flywheel cover at the 6 oclock position. Later engines had a pointer mark cast into the cover.

FarmallC1950 · May 20, 2016

(quoted from post at 10:24:54 05/19/16) To really get a new TDC mark on the flywheel for timing (base timing is correctly set at TDC not running) do the following:
To establish the real timing mark location. (Carefully do the following) Disconnect the battery. Remove the insulator from an old spark plug that is from the engine. Braze or weld a 3/8" course thread nut onto the shell so it lines up with the remaining hole. Using 3/8 course threaded rod about 5 inches long as a "feeler". Round the end of the rod on a grinder to make it useful as a probe and not scar things. Remove all the spark plugs. Use an LED flashlight to look into the #1 plug hole, and position the piston near the top, but not at the top. Put the "Feeler" device in the #1 hole with the threaded rod removed. Thread the rod into the "feeler" device and screw it in by finger pressure only till it touches the piston top. Put a lock nut on the rod to assure it is stable and rigid. Using the fan blades only, turn the engine gently in the direction toward the "feeler" (It should not move any or vary little). Use a straight edge from a location like the top of the frame rail to the inner flange of the crank pulley (not fan pulley) use a white marker to mark this spot as known (temporary). Turn the engine carefully the opposite direction 350 degrees or so until the piston touches the "Feeler" again. Mark this spot temporarily. These two marks are very accurate known locations. 1/2 the distance between them is a very accurate TDC. File a notch at that location on the flywheel in this case, and you have established a TDC mark. That mark will be correct for TDC compression and TDC exhaust on both #1 and 4 on a IH 4 cylinder tractor, so no need to determine which is which. Timing the ignition does require knowing which stroke it is on. but at least you have a real mark. Jim

Jim thanks for taking the time and the great answer, considering the flywheel only goes on one way in my application with no option for improper installment, I have to put a new TDC mark on this replacement flywheel. following your instructions I should be were I need to be for TDC, Thanks again

Janicholson · May 20, 2016

You are welcome. It is a old hot rodders trick to accurately create a TDC that can be depended on. Jim

riverbend · May 20, 2016

Check with your local British bike / dirt track race shop and pick up a degree wheel. Attach it to the crankshaft pulley. Proceed as above.

Greg

Timing Marks on Farmall C 1950

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