So few months back, from some troubleshooting here, there was some thoughts maybe I had a cam wiping issue. For the most part I parked the car, occasionally starting it.


My concern was at about 1500 rpms I got a bad knocking noise. I had thought it was actual bad timing. Timing seemed decently.



Now today I was tweaking with it, and thinking about taking a lap around the block with the engine knocking or whatever, as I was leaning towards upgrading to a 350 either way.


Now here is something wierd... My harmonic balancer looks original and has alot of corrosion. I had marked my line with a little white paint, but the paint wasn't sticking too well. It is hard to see when I am setting the timing, I can barely make it out.


But today, I was using my gun, and low and behold, I bump the advance **** up to like 60. Now here is my concern, I saw my mark clear as day bright white looking great. When I turn my gun back down to 0, I can even see it anymore, and I cannot bring it into site by rotating the distributor. The gun is relatively new but it is a harbour freight deal. It may be possible I have been setting my timing to a small smudge, not the actual line. But my timing might be off so far, I am not even sure if the car would run.

Is it possible my distributor some how hopped some teeth? It does not look a full 180* out.

Car wills start and run, for a bit it would idle a little high but idle, with the knock above 1500 rpms. I started to move the car putting a bit more load through it, and it sounded like it was afterfiring a bit, maybe backfiring. I stalled it, and when I started it agian I had a nasty backfire.


Is this possible to happen? I am thinking when I get some time, reseting the distributor to 0. Which may not be possible, last time I tried to pull my dizzy it wouldn't come out. Took overnight soaking a some persuasion with a hammer and punch to get it to rotate.

Would love to get the car on the road agian, while I better prep for an engine change.

 

But the dizzy could've been "stabbed" 1 tooth off. Or for 60 degrees, you could need to move every plug-wire one terminal over. Over-advanced timing leads to backfiring. Timing too advanced means the exhaust manifolds run a bit cooler than late timing. And advanced makes the plugs read like lean, late looks rich. If you can't trust the timing marks, time for highest vacuum at idle that doesn't have trouble re-starting. This often needs premium unleaded, but often gets great MPG.