hey fellas,

thanks again for all the previous help with my car, now that all the major stuff is out of the way its on to the other miscellaneous stuff. first of, i bought my self a snap on OBD I/OBD II computer reader and tester with all sorts of cards and connectors for cars, it helped me fix my rough ilde and crazy gas consumption with a bad coolant sensor as the blame. but getting back on track, the knock light is lit up on the reader and its toubling me, plus i believe its may be bad timing since the previous owner often treated it like crap and even messed up the front and sides and attempted to spray paint it to cover the small rust spots (so sad). i wanted to know if i could attempt to set the timing correctly or if there is something else i could do to fix it

oh and how do i set the timing in it? i cant find a notch and dont know where to set it too

thanks again!

 

I'm assuming by notch you're referring to the timing tab? The timing tab is or should be on the timing cover down by the harmonic balancer. The harmonic balancer has a mark cut into it that you should be able to find under the front end of the car. Jack the front of the car up and put it on some jack stands and slide under the front of the car until you can see the crank pulley easily and have a buddy bump the starter until the mark on the balancer turns over and you can see it. You'll need a piece of white chalk or a white marker of some sort and color the mark on the balancer white so it can be seen easily from the top side. I think I've gotten ahead of myself here, your gonna need a timing light too. After you have the balancer marked then you need to locate the distributor and where the shaft goes into the intake manifold there will be a bolt that tightens down onto a fork to hold the dist. From rotating. They make a special wrench for this, but I usually use a open ended wrench 9/16. I'm not all that fimaliar with the computer carb cars, but the dist. should have a timing advance lead somewhere on the firewall ( my TPI car is above the heater box) it will be brown w a black line on it and you will be able to disconnect it. After you have located everything hook up your timing light and disconnect the timing lead( brown wire black stripe) and start the car, it should idle slower than normal with the lead disconnected. After the car is running the timing light should be flashing, locate the timing tab from the topside and point the timing light at it and turn the dial until the flash lines the white mark (where you marked w the marker) up with the notch in the timing tab. Factory setting should be 0 degrees with the lead disconnected.

 

If the timing is very bad off you will have to loosen that bolt holding the dist. Down and rotate the dist. Until you get 0 degrees. CCW advance CW retard. Once you have it set dnt forget to tighten the dist. back down.