Okay, is the Timing mark supposed to be matched up with the keyway on my damper?

I have been having problems with pinging since I got the car, I keep turning the timing back, and when I finally got rid of it, I was at 6* which is stock for my engine. I decided that something is wrong if I have ping anywhere above stock timing, so I decided my balancer has probably slipped/spun. So I pulled it, expecting to be able to easily tell, but it looks pretty good.. but I don't know where the mark is supposed to be in relation to the keyway.

The balancer is a stock 6-3/4 Inch Balancer, the timing pointer is also stock, to the side of the cover, not straight up. The mark is close to the keyway, but is about 1/2 inch from it... I was under the assumption that it was supposed to be right in line with the keyway... so where is it supposed to be?

Engine is a 1987, 305 TPI.

 

no the key way doesn't match the timing mark, that would make sense if it did.

 

The keyway on the crank should line up with the mark on the balancer...or be close to lining up.

 

I have 2 of the 6 3/4's and both are about a half inch off to the right I believe.

 

They don't line up at all. Ever.

The keyway is exactly in line with the #1 rod journal on the crank; so at #1 firing, it's at exactly 45 degrees (1:30).

The late model 6-3/4" timing mark is between 12:00 and 12:30. Not a match.

One of the early model timing marks is at about 12:45 and the other is at about 1:00. Again, not a match.

 

And 8" balancers have the timing scribe about 7° after the keyway:

 

If you're just looking at it, then YES the keyway should be CLOSE to lining up with the mark on the balancer...

15minutes or so off lol

That's how we always did I quick check for balancer slip

 

Vader's pic is of the 1:00 placement. Note the keyway at 1:30, exactly indexed to the front rod throw.

 

Have you checked to see that you don't have the welded on timing pointer at the 12:00 position? May be someone stuck that 1:00 bolt on pointer on there. IIRC all the one piece rear engines that had the small balancer (6¾) had the 12:00 pointer with the factory holder for a magnetic probe to time it. Only the 8 inch balancers kept the old bolt on pointers. I guess that would mean that your timing is way retarded anyway so it shouldn't be knocking........hmm.....I'm sure you know to disconnect the tan wire with a black stripe on it so that couldn't be it either.....that's all I can think of, sorry man.