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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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Can't get timing correct, either too far advanced or too late. I have 2 correct 1953 distributors which are unique to 53, they are identical. I have front timing cover off and timing marks are OK according to Motors manual. Could the gear count on rear of cam be the problem? I do not have the cam out of motor, can't see any part numbers on front of cam and don't know anything about this cam.
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By CK - 10 Years Ago
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You could turn the crank two full revolutions and see if the cam returns to no.1
Is that vacuum advanced only? Could be carby spark valve?
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By scicala - 10 Years Ago
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eahollan (6/8/2015)
Can't get timing correct, either too far advanced or too late. I have 2 correct 1953 distributors which are unique to 53, they are identical. I have front timing cover off and timing marks are OK according to Motors manual. Could the gear count on rear of cam be the problem? I do not have the cam out of motor, can't see any part numbers on front of cam and don't know anything about this cam.
Hello, I'm not sure if I understand you're question. Are you talking about ignition timing ? I thought you were, then you said you checked the timing chain for correct timing. I'll assume you mean ignition timing.
Yes, the '53 Lincoln distributors are unique to that year only. They are vacuum advance only. No centrifugal advance.
In '53, Lincoln also used a cable going from the driver's side of the carb to the distributor breaker plate, that advanced the ignition timing when the throttle was near or at wide open.
I guess I don't understand you're question on the timing being either too advanced or retarded and can't get it correct.
Are you talking about setting base timing with a light, or timing advance with the engine running ?
Also, Lincoln 317, 341 and 368 V-8;s had 15 teeth on the distributor and cam gear. A Y-Block Ford (272, 292, 312) distributor has 14 teeth on the gear, but will work in a Lincoln if you put the 15 tooth gear on it from the original distributor.
Sal
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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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Sal, I am trying to get ignition timing first, can't get distributor set with rotor pointing at # 1 and rotating distributor to start points to open. Vacuum advance hits intake, remove dist and rotate gear one tooth and I am against firewall, manual cable is too short to connect to carb and points have not started to open. I thought maybe valve timing was off as rotation of cam would change distributor location. At this point cam timing looks OK, not 100% sure because timing dots on crank and cam gear. Should be a straight line from center of crank gear dot up to cam dot , this is a judgement call. Any more help will be appreciated.
Thanks, Jerry
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By Pete 55Tbird - 10 Years Ago
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I am not sure just what you are asking but as I understand it when you point the rotor at the #1 sparkplug terminal on the cap with the engine timing mark at TDC and then install the distributor to the block the advance can hits either the manifold or the firewall. If that is the issue why not rotate the crank 360% and with the #1 piston at TDC pick a terminal on the cap to use as #1 then install the distributor? What happens then? If still no joy relocate the sparkplug wires on the cap.
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By CK - 10 Years Ago
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I think you are trying to time the ignition from inside the dizzy and the rotor doesn't seem to line up and the points don't open when aligned etc.
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By Ted - 10 Years Ago
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Eahollan. How many degrees of distributor travel do you have available between the firewall and intake manifold?
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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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That is correct but when I could not get distributor set per Motors manual I started questioning cam timing. Different rotation on cam would change distributor rotor location.
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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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I will try that, right now I have interruptions and can't work on car. Maybe Friday afternoon I can get back to it. Thanks
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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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Have not had time to work on timing. The distributor is vacuum with cable to carb linkage for advance when vacuum is low at hard acceleration.
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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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Don't know, when rotor is pointing to #1 points cam is almost is middle of 2 lobes on distributor. Can't rotate enough to open points.
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By Pete 55Tbird - 10 Years Ago
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Any terminal on the distributor CAN BE THE # 1 as long as the sparkplug wire that connect to it is also connected to the #1 spark plug. Can you insert the distributor into the block with room to adjust BETWEEN hitting either the manifold or the firewall? Is that the issue or is it something else? Start over and explain what you are trying to do. Pete
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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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I am trying to set distributor timing and I was always starting with rotor pointing to # 1. At that position points wear block was on the flat area of distributor cam. I could not rotate distributor to the position where points would just start to open. I understand that # 1 can be anyplace as long as wiring is corrected to compensate for change. I thought rotating distributor would just put points block in same flat area, between lobes on distributor, IT DID NOT. I think I have a location that will work. Will be a few days to know for sure, thank you so much.
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By Grumpy1 - 10 Years Ago
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Aligning the timing marks does not put the #1 cylinder at top dead center. That may be your problem.
Grumpy
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By CK - 10 Years Ago
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Set the points gap and close the dizzy.
Set the cable advance to base as so you can pull advance if you decide to attach it.
And time it with a light at idle and vacuum disconnected.
Simple!
Ted has noted many time the total advance should be no more than 38* with the Y
But I don't know how far the 53 set up will take you.
I understand your delema as I came across this when I had the orig dizzy. But be sure the timing mark on balancer is right and just set it accordingly.
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By eahollan - 10 Years Ago
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Thanks for the information, I keep having interruptions but hope to be able to work on it tomorrow.
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By Y block Billy - 10 Years Ago
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If you are shooting for 10-12 initial advance, I would put the timing pointer on the damper to 10-12, turn key on and rotate distributor back and forth with number 1 spark plug out but connected to the wire and grounded and watch for when it sparks and set distributor there for initial testing and that should get you close. fine tune from there with a timing light.
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By scicala - 10 Years Ago
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I used to have a '55 mercury with a Mallory dual point dist on the 292 Y-Block. I had a similar issue like you do. An old mechanic at the time showed me that the rotor would rotate inside the shaft without moving the cam for the points if you were firm enough when rotating it.
I don't think the factory dist has this feature though.
Maybe try one more time to rotate the dist one tooth on the cam gear. From my experience you shouldn't go from the manifold to the firewall with just a one tooth change unless the area is a lot more cramped than my old Mercury.
Also, is it possible the #1 wire on the cap is off one positon ? Shift all wires one place ?
Sal
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