I have a Haynes manual which showed me where it should be.... but its not there.... my sticker says to set it to 4 degrees at 500 but idk how to get it to idle that low...?

 

With the timing plug disconnected it should be able to idle that low (warmed up, choke fully open). With the timing plug connected it's unlikely to idle down that far, even with the throtles fully closed.

Timing tab should be straight down behind the water pump if it's original stuff.

 

theres nothing there... how am I supposed to time it?

 

You can't if you don't have a timing tab or the correct timing tab. A stock timing chain cover of that vintage for that engine would have the timing tab welded on the front of it. Yours doesn't so either it's been changed out or maybe the engine isn't the original or...... who knows

But before you freak out, why don't you shoot it with your timing gun and see where the mark shows up (wht the timing plug diconnected). You can "eyeball" the timing good enough to get it in the ballpark. If the timing mark is somewhere close to straight-up (behind the water pump) you're in the ballpark.

If the timing line shows up way over under the driver's side leg of the water pump that would indicate the balancer has been changed as well.

There are two basic balancers on small blocks from the modern era. One is in the 12:00 "straight up" position (the one your engine should have come with originally) and the slightly more common 1:30 position for the timing mark. They come in smaller (6-3/4") and larger (8") diameters, but the timing mark on the balancer will always be in one of those two postions.

So, unplug the timing wire, shoot it with your gun and figure out whether you at least have a 12:00 position balancer or a 1:30 position balancer and we can start to figure out which timing tab you need to buy (bolt-on aftermarket unit) to match it. Sound fair?

 

idk wtf ur talking about lol. I used my timing gun and **** all showed up. its carburated so theres not much to connect or disconnect.

 

although my timing gun is ancient... I want to do an A/C delete so I can actually see, but the car is a t-top so I dont need it (the A/C)

 

Can you actually see the balancer, at least the 12 through 2 o'clock portion of it? That's kind of a must. Does your timing light flash when u hook it to spark wire #1? Also kind of a must!

Then do what Damon said.

 

sometimes it does sometimes it doesnt. :/. but can someone take a pic of theirs? cuz I can see the crankshaft pulley thats it