Timing Trouble....now I've done it!!

[piecemeal]

FJ40 (1974) I recently completely rebuilt my cooling system and decided to adjust the timing after I got it all in. Well, when I adjust the timing to make the BB and the pin match up, it seemed to run kinda crappy like it was about to stall. Consequently, I turned the idle screw up and bit and it all seemed good. However, when I went to tighten the distributor adjustment screw the engine just sputters out. I brought the distributor back to it's original position and now the friggin thing wont start at all. It just cranks good then really badly and the starter started smokin'. Where did I go wrong?? I'm pretty new at this stuff and am totally lost!! Help!!

 

[Pin_Head]

Timing can change when tightening the distributor clamp, so keep an eye on the timing as you tighten.

The clamp is also important for grounding the distributor, so check for a spark and if you have no spark, check the distrubutor ground or simply run a temporary ground wire while you are trouble shooting.

The engine will start and run within +/- 20 degrees of the proper timing, so turn the distributor back and forth while cranking and it should catch.

Let the starter motor cool down and charge the battery and try again. If it doesn't fire within 5 seconds, let up and check something else. No point to grinding on it if it isn't making a spark or if the carb is flooded.

 

[Ripley]

Not sure if you've already done this, but check your points (gap at .45mm) and maybe your rotor and dist cap too. I had the same problem. Set up a better ground, replaced/adjusted points, got timing on the BB and it runs like a champ!

 

[3pits]

any chance it is 180 degrees out? I have only heard of this but have no evidence of this actually being possible

 

[Texx]

That'd take a hell of alot of turning, and you'd have to disconnect/reconnect some stuff....

 

[Mr. Toad]

Is the distributor seated all the way down into the oil pump slot? If not you've been cranking a dry engine, and clamping the distributor won't hold it very well.

 

[creativ37]

My apologies if this suggestion is too basic, but you said you were fairly new at timing... Did you remember to adjust your timing light properly to 7 degrees BTDC before adjusting the distributor and are you sure your on spark plug wire #1? Sorry if that's too obvious a fix.

 

[grant5127]

I'll go along with Pin_Head on the bad ground suggestion........

 

[MoCoNative]

creativ37, good point but don't confuse anybody with it. The line on the flywheel is TDC on #1. The BB is recomended stock advancement at 7 degrees BTDC. If you just hook up a timing light and turn the dist to make the light hit on the BB with the pointer, you are basically correct.

If you have a timing light that you can adjust the timing of the light pulse, then adjusting the timing with light set at 7, will make the pointer point at the line for TDC. But your light is correcting for advancement. If you turn off the advancing feature of the light, it will then blink with the pointer over the BB.

Personally, I run at 11 degrees, for my altitude and settup. Even my bone stock 60 series I advanced the timing a few degrees and got better performance. This all depends on altitude however, and is just food for thought.