I seem to have acquired a 68 Dodge Polara and as I went to tune and time it I found out that my Polara does not have a timing point indicator. Turns out I need a timing pointer tab. As the degree mark on the balancer is reflecting on the driver side of the car but no timing tab degree marker. I was told that some mopars or 318's needs to have this timing tab indicator. Its called an LA Block or engine, however you want to call it. I have been around Chryslers for a while now, but this is the first time I have owned an actual v8 car, 68 Polara 4 door. Does anyone here know where I may find one of these timing tab indicators? Is there an after market type deal? Please let me know...because I would sure hate to have to go through with an engine swap due to this small piece missing. However, the timing cover itself on the left side has a molded in timing tab indicator but the wrong harmonic balancer and the water pump lower outlet goes right over it. Do I just buy a new harmonic balancer with the correct positioning of the degree marker? And switch over to a right side water pump outlet?

 

In 1968 the water pump was on the opposite side...the timing indicator was a bolt on thing and could be seen on the passenger side....you could do like I did and buy a 1970 and later timing cover and water pump...then you will also have an issue with you radiator because it will swap the bottom hose connection. TDC is still TDC with either cover so no harmonic balancer change needed...if it is the original you should replace it though..

 

It's still not clear to me which side his was on originally, but the above is NOT true if we are switching driver to passenger side.

You could easily built your own pointer and then either get "timing tape" for the balancer or scribe it yourself.

It's easy to find TDC with a "piston stop."

Get or buy a positive stop like this:



Remove battery ground, make sure no 1 piston is "down enough" and install the stop in the plug hole. Wrench the engine around CW until it stops, and make a temporary mark on the balancer under a marker you can see, or make one for the purpose

Now rotate the engine backwards until it stops, and make a second mark. True TDC will be halfway between the two marks. You can "guess" it for now on your homemade marker, and that will show you pretty close where the original lands.

The thing is, you might have a mix---you might have a water pump outlet for the early engine, and a balancer for the late engine, or vice versa. The point is, you want to be able to "actually see" the mark.

If it lands on the drivers side, you can get a late model timing cover, or make a pointer yourself. Easiest way, once again, is to figure how many "degrees per inch" on the balancer and just scribe it. I like to mark my wheel out to at least 50*, anyhow.