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.

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?

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

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

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.

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.

Eahollan.  How many degrees of distributor travel do you have available between the firewall and intake manifold?

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

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.

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

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.