Now that my 352 will idle in the driveway, I've been trying to check the timing but I can't locate the mark. My timing light pickup is on the front spark plug on the passenger side, my distributor vacuum advance is disconnected, I see the pointer on the timing cover, I've cleaned the ring on the harmonic balancer closest to the timing cover and still see no mark on the balancer idling or not. Could I be looking in the wrong spot on the balancer? What does the timing mark look like on a 352? Could it be my old timing light (pre-inductive pick up) is getting too dim to pick it out?

Gregory Glaser

 

Probably just age has taken it's course, get some 400 grit and go around the edge till you see some tiny little marks pop up 5-0-10-20-30. While your at it verify that TDC for #1 = 0 on the balancer. Otherwise you'll be pulling hair messing with the dizzy for nada.
Just a note...this "should have" been done prior to carb tuning or is this oart of the results.

My preference:
1. Pull all the plugs "NOWS A GOOD TIME TO VERIFY TDC = 0" and read for service reasons, (ok) clean/check gap/install
2. Check rotor/cap/wires - wear, carbon track, cracks"poor gas in the cap" service as needed.
3. Check carb for leaky acc pump, general function.. fix what needs it.
4. Start engine alow to warm to normal opp temp, check idle speed - if correct pull the dizzy vac and check for vaccuum should be none. If the idle speed is correct and there is vacuum check the timing, no vacuum check it anyway. You may go back and forth a bit with timing/idle speed if timing was off.
5. Correct timing, idle speed complete cover vac hose and rev motor to check that mechanical advance is working(smoothy) connect hose and check vac advance works. "Might wanna use search and read up on this part" or ask plenty of questions this seems to have a huge argument as to how to whats too much etc... And I dunno for sure, I try to leave well enough alone.
6. Finally connect the vac guage and adjust idle mixture, you may be adjusting idle speed again as well depends... Irractic readings at this point are likely a vac leak/valve train issues... It's early surely Ive overlooked something...cant wait to hear what it was..

 

those old style timing lights are hard to see anything unless your using it after the sun goes down..clean the dampner, find the timing marks and mark it with something WHITE, like chalk or paint, and find a low light area, the darker the better..if the marks are to far off, your dampner may have slipped

 

RedmanBob & Hiball3985,

Thank you for the response, I'll be on these suggestions at sundown and let you know what turns up.

All the best,

Gregory Glaser

 

This self-powered timing light has a very bright bulb:

http://www.performancedistributors.com/accessories.htm

 

actually you probably wont see any numbers on it .....but you are lookng in the correct spot....you will see TDC engraved in the balancer.....and the lines on mine are very faint...but TDC is engraved in it ....i had to spray some degreaser on mine to see it...hope i helps

 

im actually working on an old 352 FE right now and i cant for the life of me get it running right....i have put new timing chain assembly on it and new points new plug wires and plugs.....i found TDC and put timing chain in the correct timing....distributor is in the right spot....im not sure if i have the points set right, nor do i know how t set them correctly ....but it just wont hardly run...everytime i give it any gas whatsoever it sputters and pops....sorry to hijack ur post but i cant see to find out anything...anyone know whats making this happen.....please, any info will help

 

Backfires through tail pipe or carb ? Some input without standing over it personally....

Vacuum Leak or stuck vacuum/mechanical advance, or poorly adjusted idle circuit causing full vac advance at idle. Put the light on it, disconnect the vac advance @ distributer and plug hose. Start confirm correct idle advance setting. Give throttle and watch for advance in timing. If it checks out and still sputters/backfires, look for a vac leak.