New timing marks

[Matt Colie]

While I am looking at the bottom of my engine and considering what it will be like to degree in the cam. (I always check new cams.) I was thinking
about what a PITA it is to check the ignition timing in the coach. I have worked on lots of engines in strange places, and sailboat engines are
always in places you can't use for much else. But, all the real marine engines (not repurposed passcar) have the flywheel at the front of the engine
and they usually have timing marks there....

Suppose that while I was confirming TDC, I was to mark the ring gear/flywheel and then pop a hole in the bell housing so I could see it.

I suspect that this might make setting and checking the timing a little easier.

While I do plan to install an Emery-esk timing pointer, you still have to get it right at least once.

Matt
--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[chris tyler]

I dont see why it wouldn't work, and it would certainly be easier.
Question is where and how to put the hole in- and how to mark the flexplate so that is easily visible and not obliterated by the starter gear
You would have to use a 'dial back to zero' timing light

--
76 Glenbrook

 

[Matt Colie]

> I dont see why it wouldn't work, and it would certainly be easier.
> Question is where and how to put the hole in- and how to mark the flexplate so that is easily visible and not obliterated by the starter gear
> You would have to use a 'dial back to zero' timing light

Chris,

My engine is currently apart. (My barn is kind of like one of those sort out the numbers games, but I forgot to leave an open space.) As I will have
to trammel (check center by rotating to a hard stop) the crank (when I finally get it back from polish) in preparation for checking the cam timing, I
will have a good opportunity to mark the teeth of the ring gear and put a registration on the back of the block. After I count the teeth of the ring
gear, I can mark them and have a very precise calibration.

I am expecting to take pictures and write about this as it goes on.


--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

 

[Keith V]

Interesting solution, all those flying belts and fan are pretty dangerous.

What is the emory-esk timing pointer?
________________________________
From: Gmclist on behalf of Matt Colie
Sent: Friday, May 4, 2018 7:58 AM
To: gmclist
Subject: Re: [GMCnet] New timing marks

> I dont see why it wouldn't work, and it would certainly be easier.
> Question is where and how to put the hole in- and how to mark the flexplate so that is easily visible and not obliterated by the starter gear
> You would have to use a 'dial back to zero' timing light

Chris,

My engine is currently apart. (My barn is kind of like one of those sort out the numbers games, but I forgot to leave an open space.) As I will have
to trammel (check center by rotating to a hard stop) the crank (when I finally get it back from polish) in preparation for checking the cam timing, I
will have a good opportunity to mark the teeth of the ring gear and put a registration on the back of the block. After I count the teeth of the ring
gear, I can mark them and have a very precise calibration.

I am expecting to take pictures and write about this as it goes on.

--
Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit

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[Jim Hupy]

6 cylinder Volvo cars that look like boxes, have the timing marks on the
flywheel. They have a plastic plug that snaps into a hole in the bell
housing that you pop out when you want to set the base timing. Their fuel
injection and ignition are computer controlled, like GM stuff. If that
engine were in a GMC motor home, it would be a snap to set the timing. In a
Volvo car, not so much. What might work for a GMC would be a fiber optic
cable permanently secured to the front of the block and focused on the
timing pointer. Or perhaps a hollow tube that a video camera might slide
into. I don't much like having my hands and fingers up there no matter how
many dozens of times I have done it, it still makes me nervous.
Jim Hupy
Salem, Or

> Interesting solution, all those flying belts and fan are pretty dangerous.
>
> What is the emory-esk timing pointer?
> ________________________________
> From: Gmclist on behalf of Matt Colie <
> matt7323tze>
> Sent: Friday, May 4, 2018 7:58 AM
> To: gmclist
> Subject: Re: [GMCnet] New timing marks
>

> > I dont see why it wouldn't work, and it would certainly be easier.
> > Question is where and how to put the hole in- and how to mark the
> flexplate so that is easily visible and not obliterated by the starter gear
> > You would have to use a 'dial back to zero' timing light
>
> Chris,
>
> My engine is currently apart. (My barn is kind of like one of those sort
> out the numbers games, but I forgot to leave an open space.) As I will have
> to trammel (check center by rotating to a hard stop) the crank (when I
> finally get it back from polish) in preparation for checking the cam
> timing, I
> will have a good opportunity to mark the teeth of the ring gear and put a
> registration on the back of the block. After I count the teeth of the ring
> gear, I can mark them and have a very precise calibration.
>
> I am expecting to take pictures and write about this as it goes on.
>
>
> --
> Matt & Mary Colie - '73 Glacier 23 - Members GMCMI, GMCGL, GMCES
> Electronically Controlled Quiet Engine Cooling Fan
> OE Rear Drum Brakes with Applied Control Arms
> SE Michigan - Twixt A2 and Detroit
>
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
> _______________________________________________
> GMCnet mailing list
> Unsubscribe or Change List Options:
> http://list.gmcnet.org/mailman/listinfo/gmclist_list.gmcnet.org
>

 

[emerystora]

Years back before I had a computer controlled distributor I found that I could advance my distributor when at higher altitudes (I lived at 7200 feet in Santa Fe) but when I would go down in altitude I had to retard it some.
At high elevations I could use about 16 deg BTDC but when I would travel to Phoenix or to the West Coast I had to drop it to about 8 or 10 degrees to prevent pinging.

So, I came up with a pointer for my distributor so that I could easily change the timing without having to check the timing marks with a timing light.
This was totally accurate.
See the picture and instructions on the GMCphotos site.
http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g3125-timing-marks-for-distributor.html http://www.gmcmhphotos.com/photos/g3125-timing-marks-for-distributor.html

Emery Stora
77 Kingsley
Frederick, CO

>
> Interesting solution, all those flying belts and fan are pretty dangerous.
>
> What is the emory-esk timing pointer?
> ________________________________

 

[larry1]

I have an idea. What about a borescope for I phone and Android phones mount an adel clamp with a rubber insert that points to the timing mark area.
insert the camera end when you need to check timing.

see
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Waterproof-HD-2M-7mm-Endoscope-Lens-Mini-USB-Inspection-Camera-with-6-LED-Lights-Borescope-for-Android-Smartphone-PC-Laptop/924102324?wmlspartner=wlpa&selectedSellerId=9869&adid=22222222227083850308&wmlspartner=wmtlabs&wl0=&wl1=g&wl2=c&wl3=196367365898&wl4=pla-314984353131&wl5=9022635&wl6=&wl7=&wl8=&wl9=pla&wl10=115780161&wl11=online&wl12=924102324&wl13=&veh=sem


adel clamp also known as a retainer clamp. you would need two, one to attach to a line the other to hold the camera end.

https://www.autozone.com/plumbing-hosing/retainer-clamp?filterByKeyWord=clamp&fromString=search&isIgnoreVehicle=false
--
Larry Hopkins
75 Avion
Springfield, IL

 

[chris tyler]

I have used these on several chevy engines. They wrk well if you set them up right but are hard to see in a car withthe distributor in the rear

https://www.speedwaymotors.com/Moroso-26100-Distributor-Timing-Indicator,586.html

Might be able to adapt one to the Olds with some engine-newity. But I like Emory's low buck idea.
--
76 Glenbrook