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The difference in distributor angle could be due to any number of reasons, most likely because someone had the distributor off the tractor and didn't get the distributor drive gear lined up quite the same. Also, timing will be different on every tractor. How can the timing mark on the crankshaft pulley be fading away? It's a V-notch machined into the cast pulley. Is something rubbing on the pulley? If nothing is rubbing on the pulley, it is not fading or wearing. At worst, the layer of grease and dust is getting thicker. A quick scrape will return the timing mark back to its original luster. To time, you find top dead center on the compression stroke for cylinder #1 (front). TDC can be found by slowly rolling the engine over by hand with your thumb over the open spark plug hole until you feel air pushing past. Line up the timing marks at this point. Pull the distributor cap. The rotor should be directly underneath the #1 post on the cap. If it isn't, rotate the distributor until it is. A timing light is a waste of time. You need to time the tractor by ear to find the sweet spot where it accelerates smoothly when the throttle is quickly jerked from idle to full. Start the tractor and set it for a fast idle. Roll the distributor a little at a time until the tractor starts stumbling. Roll back the other way until the tractor starts stumbling. That's your range. Now find the first sweet spot where you get the smoothest idle. Now jerk the throttle to wide open. If it accelerates smoothly, it's timed. Otherwise, move it a little and try again. If you get it "too screwed up," the engine won't run. If you're only a little screwed up, the engine won't run very well, and could sustain damage if run hard for long periods of time in this state. Being a tiny bit off will not hurt anything.
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