delco distributor timing 48 A

Can someone point me to a thread that talks about setting distributor timing with a timing light? I searched but only come up with magneto, and not much on using a light.

At a slow idle the timing light should flash at zero degrees.

1) Is this a covered flywheel tractor with a peep hole on the top where you can shine a timing light??? I don't think so, but if so I think you can have her at idle X RPM and the light should flash at the recommended timing for whatever the advance should be at X RPM. SEEMS LIKE THAT FEATURE IS ONLY ON LATER MODELS HOWEVER??????

2) If the flywheel were open, it has a Left Hand Impulse Timing mark on the Flywheel and when the left piston is at TDC its right at the hash mark at 3 o clock on the tractors side. If youre turning it over slow (NOT running) the light should flash to indicate LHI at 3 O Clock mark (that's static start timing which is near TDC NOT the advanced run timing) and then if you wanted to see where shes running at when idling or at X RPM idle you would need to measure off and make degree marks on the flywheel (Divide circumference by 360 degrees and mark off 0 and 5 and 10 and 20 etc Before TDC on flywheel and see where its at using the timing light when running.

3) The start timing is near TDC and you can use a timing light to see where the flywheels LHI mark is at relative to the 3 o clock hash mark. That's TDC for left piston so you can see if shes firing on or before or after TDC when the light flashes

4) I set the static start timing (if TDC is the correct place) by first retarding the spark (forward CW rotation of distributor retards spark),,,,,,,,,then having the flywheel so LHI is at 3 o clock on the mark, that's TDC on left piston,,,,,then slowlyyyyyyyyyy turn the distributor advance CCW until she fires and locking down the distributor there. Then you can check the run time advance with a light as described above.

5) Another way for the above, have flywheels LHI at 3 o clock (Left piston at TDC),,,,,,,,,,have the distributor retarded (forward CW),,,,,have a test light on the distributors small side terminal (where wire from coils + attaches) and it should be OFF because points are closed,,,,,,and then slowlyyyyyyyy advance spark (distributor backwards CCW) and when the light comes on the points have opened and lock the dist down there. Similar if you have the left plug removed (CAUTION away from spark plug hole where gas may be) but wire attached AND PLUGS SIDE GROUNDED, the plug will fire when points open and that's near TDC for static start timing.

6) You still need a timing light EITHER using the peep hole method (if tractor flywheel hAs one) or else mark off the degrees on the flywheel as described above to see the run time advance timing

Maybe with all this jibberish and ranting and raving you get the idea of how it all works and can figure it out????????

I have no manual and have no idea how its supposed to be done but this works for me

John T
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Thanks, I'll work at it using this. I wished I had marked things before taking it apart, long ago. I thought it might be possible to use a light with the timing marks on the cover and the flywheel with the center cover out.