Hi guys, got a real weird problem...when I put this 351 cleveland into my car, it was running poorly - I mucked around with a few things including moving the dissy to get it to run better - tuning it by ear, I've got it running really sweetly. Anyway, just bought a timing light to do a proper job of it and thats where the confusion starts...I marked 12 degress btdc on dampener, started it up, and can't see the mark... that's because its like a third of the way around the circumference of the dampener away from the fixed pointer....so I loosen the dissy, turn it back to try and line it up, and it runs worse and worse (like heaps retarded) until it stalls way before I can get to the mark - so obviously the timing marks, for whatever reason, are `wrong'....at least in relation to the dissy etc as things are..(remember the car is running sweet as, really powerful, no pinging) What do you think? I've been scratching my head and all I can think of is that the harmonic balancer somehow isn't where it should be on the crank? Or maybe the dissy has been installed a tooth out?? I'm timing off number one plug, which unless I'm mistaken is frontmost plug on the left as you stand in front of the car (i.e. driver's side)

Any ideas???

.

not uncommon at all the harmonic balacer has a rubber mounted outer ring which can slip over time on the odd occassion. Take number 1 spark plug out and turn by hand until the piston is at the top. you can gently feel the top of the piston with a thin screw driver to assess this. If the rotor button is within cooey of the number one lead then thats top dead centre if its around the other side then turn the motor one more revolution and recheck.
At the point where you are within coooey of the number one lead with the rotor button then loosen the dizzy ad turn it until it aligns correctly to the lead..
While you are dead postive that the piston is at the extreme top and it is in fact the firing stroke then your balancer should show TDC if not remark it with some paint. Anyway that should get you started.

Could the balancer be to suit a different pointer position, or was there only one pointer position on the Clevo's. Could it also be that the cam timing is retarded, and requires this much static advance to make up for the cam being out, or did you not do a cam on this motor? Just bouncing ideas....

Thanks guys, I did a bit of research myself and suspected the balancer - checked it last nite and it is solid as a rock. I've tuned it by ear, winding back after a few runs to be just this side of pinging, runs really nicely at the moment...

even if a balancer has slipped you most likely wont be able to tell by looking at it. need to remark TDC #1 and work off the new mark..

Yep, thanks for that - good advice.

Cheers!

Hi. Do yourself a favour , buy a new balancer and fit it. Reason is balancer is there for a reason. To externaly balance the crank.
If the balancer moves at all. like a few degrees engine is unbalanced. which means less horsepower and shaking engine. You prob will do engine damage if you dont change it.

Yes a slipped balancer is an issue, A REALLY good way to set timing when youre running a cam with a bit of overlap is with a vacuum gauge. A mild stick will have about 20 inches of vacuum (thereabouts) Advance the timing until you get the maximum vacuum on the gauge and then retard it around an inch vacuum. If it pings it`ll need more fuel or alternatively retard it another inch.If it runs a Holley you can tune it with a Power Valve and jets to get it right. Retarding the timing will stop it pinging but slow it down somewhat.