mjcolemo

I started a thread last week about getting my 56 New Yorker tuned up. I found the issue to be the new condenser that I put in the distributor was grounded. I fixed the problem, and the engine fired up! Unfortunately Advanced Auto sent me the wrong distributor cap and rotor so I had to use the old one. But after putting new spark plugs and plug wires on the motor starts right up and idles great. It really runs a lot better especially since the plugs were probably ancient and the plug wires were probably the originals.

So now my next question. I need to set the timing which for my engine should be set to 4 degrees BTDC. I was looking down at the harmonic balancer and I see the timing pointer, but I don't see a mark on the harmonic balancer to time off of. Does anyone know if that is as it should be and if so how do you determine 4 degrees BTDC.

440roadrunner

I'm not familiar with the old hemi's, and the Motor's manual is not much help, they just indicate "damper" and do not indicate a pictorial of the marks.

You can make your own, easy, I'm always advocating this anyway, to check for a slipped balancer.

Get, make, buy a "piston stop" like this:



You might have to adjust the length the first time around. You are not trying to stop the piston on TDC but rather "at some unknown point" as it comes up. With the no1 plug out, and make sure the piston is "down a ways" unhook the battery ground and install the stop. Gently wrench the engine around until it stops. The original mark on the balancer should be "somewhere near" where you judge the pointer "should have been."

Now, make some sort of temporary pointer out of scrap, bolt it on somehow, and place it so that the balancer mark is "approaching" this temporary pointer. Now make a temporary (pencil) mark onto the balancer directly under your temporary pointer.

Now rotate the engine counterclockwise until it stops again, and make one more temporary mark under your pointer.

For the immediate purpose, TDC will be halfway between the two temporary balancer marks is under your pointer. You can find this easily with dividers.

NOW if you wish to construct a permanent pointer relative to the original mark, set the engine up so that your new mark on the balancer --the one you divided from the two temporary marks---is EXACTLY under the temporary pointer.

Next you'll have to use your own devices to find, buy, or build a permanent pointer that now will point to the original mark.

So far as advance retard markings, you have three choices

1 You can buy a "dial up" timing light

2 You can carefully measure around the balancer with a small flex tape, calculate how many "degrees per inch" and mark the balancer

3 After measuring the balancer, you can go to Summit Racing or somewhere and buy "timing tape" for the correct diameter balancer.

You might also join up over at the HAMB (Hokey *** Message Board) there are a few early hemi guru's over there.

mjcolemo

440roadrunner

Thank you, you've been really helpful through this process and I really appreciate your expertise! What you recommend in your posting makes perfect sense. Let me see what I can work up to insert into no. 1 to stop the piston so I can mark the balancer.

I agree the service manual isn't much help. I have also posted a query on the HAMB but haven't got a response yet. Thank you again for your suggestions.

mjcolemo

One more question related to measuring the degrees around the harmonic balancer. I had my son in law make me a piston stop, and I might say he did an excellent job! So now I'm ready to determine TDC, and measure the distance around the balancer. But when I determine 4 degrees BTDC, do I base it on 360 degrees, or 100 degrees? Excuse me for my ignorance on this, I've never had to determine a timing mark before and the difference between the 2 methods could be significant.

BuckNeccid

MJ Hot Heads is an EXCELLENT source of early hemi parts. We have one in a '56 Ford PU, and they've helped us out for years. I don't have one of their catalogs handy, but there's a chance they have a pointer or marker showing degrees.

http://hothemiheads.com/

http://hothemiheads.com/harmonic_bal...ming_tape.html

440roadrunner

I'm not sure where you got 100 degrees?

You use 360, carefully measure AROUND the outside of the balancer with a small tape, then figure how many "inches per degree" you'll need.

I would NOT necessarily stick to 4 BTC. I would either degree out TO 50*, or mark the wheel at 35, 40, and 50, so you can check the action of the mechanical advance and vacuum advance.

With the engine RPM up "high" you want in the vicinity of 35-40 with NO vacuum, and around 50 or maybe more with vacuum advance connected.

You can play with the advance, but do check your total as above. You can also tweak the timing for maximum vacuum on a gauge at idle, then retard it so it drops about 2" vacuum. Watch for 'ping' under load when warmed up.

Also, even if you wish to stick to the factory 4* check to make sure the mechanical and vacuum advance are working, and set it a couple * advanced to allow for points wear-in. I hope you put a tiny amount of lube on the points rubbing block(s) or they will wear very quickly.

MrOldart2U

440, just wondering on why he should make a new pointer, when what i read was he didnt have any markings on the damper? Just curious as to why not use the original pointer and do as you described..