I am totally dumbstruck...or am I just stoopid? I am trying to set the ignition timing of my '64 289, after it's been tampered with by spiteful vandalists. It was backfiring like a Gatling gun. So, after replacing the ignition points, condenser, sparkplugs, sparkplug wires, checking that all plugwires had it's rightful home and cleaning out all suspicious matter, I need to set the timing.

First I set the distributor in a more or less "right" position, so I could fine-tune the timing with the old ignition pointer light. I turned the motor over by hand until I was sure it was at its compression stroke, until I had the timing marks perfectly TDC. I even had the valve cover off to see that both valves where closed. Then I turned the distributor till I had the the tab on the ignition points at the apex of the cam lobe. So far so good, but when I put the cap on the no.1 position on the cap did not line up with the rotor. Is this right? Would it be safe to say I'm about to crank the engine and ready for fine tuning or is there something amiss? Am I on the right track? Is the rotor set to set off a spark right before the piston is at the end of the compression stroke?

A series of cross referencing with the old workshop manuals revealed nothing useful, as I am new to the art of wrenching and my old pal, who has been teaching me the art, is now 6feet under.

 

Yes, thats why timing say's BTDC. If it's a whole position off, just move the plug wires.

 

Thanks! I figured it would be something like that.

 

i dont know if i've ever tried moving the plug wires about the distributor cap. whenever my distributors been off a bit, this has been the solution:

1) undo and remove the holding bolt and clamp
2) lift the distributor slowly. one hand on the rotor, one hand on the distributor body.
3) as your lifting, the rotor will turn slightly as the helical cut gear slides on the matching cam gear.
4) as soon as the gears un-mesh, turn the rotor slightly in the desired direction until you catch the next tooth on the cam gear.
5) often the distributor wont slide 100% back down into it's home without rotating the crank/cam slightly (either by blipping the starter motor, or by hand at the crank dampener)