Distributor Timing

dukekars

Member
I have a 1953-55 MH Mustang. Starting issues, it ran a few months back. Its getting fuel and it has spark. Played around with Distributor a bit. It can only go in two ways correct and 180 out. way, one direction i am getting heavy strong backfires, indicated 180 out. The other way it stops engine during cranking like a hydro lock, let key go try again same thing turn over 3 for times then lock, does seem to fire at all. Has new condenser and points, and plugs. Some play in distributor shaft, and rotor button is sloppy. The stroke is very short only about 1\2 inch. Suggestions for timing this beast. It was running, had bad fuel. That has been corrected. Can some suggested proper timing...distributor placement. No one tooth out thing her its 180 slots. Thanks.
 
With the plugs out, turn engine and get air blowing out the front plug hole, and stop with flywheel at TDC mark. Now install the distributor with points JUST ready to break open with rotor toward the number one front plug wire post. Firing order is 1342 using normal distributor rotation, this method will get timing close enough to start. Then set timing at slow idle with a timing light. Make sure the distributor advance works too, they can get stuck and not increase with speed as they should over time.
 
(quoted from post at 17:05:13 10/27/19) I have a 1953-55 MH Mustang. Starting issues, it ran a few months back. Its getting fuel and it has spark. Played around with Distributor a bit. It can only go in two ways correct and 180 out. way, one direction i am getting heavy strong backfires, indicated 180 out. The other way it stops engine during cranking like a hydro lock, let key go try again same thing turn over 3 for times then lock, does seem to fire at all. Has new condenser and points, and plugs. Some play in distributor shaft, and rotor button is sloppy. The stroke is very short only about 12 inch. Suggestions for timing this beast. It was running, had bad fuel. That has been corrected. Can some suggested proper timing...distributor placement. No one tooth out thing her its 180 slots. Thanks.

Even though there's only two ways the distributor can go in, there's quite a few ways the high tension wires can be arranged in the cap.

Do you suppose someone got creative and mixed them up a bit between the time it ran and now?

Time to get serious, first note which way the distributor rotor turns while cranking, then note if the wires are at least arranged in firing order, in the direction of distributor rotation.

Find #1 TDC on the firing stroke (an archive search will provide detail on that or the all-knowing you tube) or post back nd someone will type it out for you, I don't have time at the moment.

Now note if the rotor is pointing to where the #1 wire is plugged into the cap, if not, rearrange the wires in firing order, with the #1 wire in the correct place.

The breaker points should have just begun to open a few degrees before TDC, that's when the spark is created, and the rotor and wires need to be arranged correctly so the spark gets to the correct (#1) cylinder.

I'm sure you'll get several more replies, post again as questions come up!
 
Bob thank you for you quick reply, I have done all of this, sorry I am a Mech by trade, my distributor rotates
counter clock wise. Because of the very short stroke get a puff of are on both comp, and exhust abs 1 and 4 are
tdc same time, so I I understand correctly I should set breaker points just as it comes up on the line rather
then center of the lobe, this showed get me about 4 degrees before the, the distributor is fixed no timing
adjustment on it, I do not have an old Dewl meter thus of course would get a better, I see no mark on the fly
wheel, there is a second bolt on front side of the distributor but it's a fixed hole not alongated, so I see no
timing adjustment as such,. Well look for you tub video, also well star from beginning and do it all again. Yes
I know 1342 no. 1 on the front if engine , efenvif you reverse the distributor it's still correct 1342. The
backfire for 38 years has told me 180 out. I have never seen the engine hydro lock when distributor is turn
again , only two spots one should work onexshoukd backfire, ..I am missing something, too many years playing
with electronic stuff now xant remember my old scool
 
Its worn enough for replacement. Just want to get it moved for winter. Next year it comes in for a frame restoration. It was running should run again.
 

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