Timing mark

I got my timing gun going here after the first two were faulty. I marked the pulley with a chalk where the mark was and it read -2. I tought it was supposed to be like 4, so what do we do about this?

 

maybe this will help

loosen the distributer niut, then use the timing light and shoot for 6 degrees before top dead center. if it doesnt ping...then try to squeeze in some more.

 

Ok, out we went and first put it accidently to -4. It didn't like that too much, but it ran. Then we went to 4, better, then 8. It was still ok, no pinging, not that I've heard what it sounds like, but it's supposed to be obvious. So after a bit of back and forth its now between 6/7. The car seems to idle a bit faster, is this something that should be compensated for by setting the idle lower, or should it be left as it is? I didn't drive it, just changed the timing. Fun to learn something new

 

Yes, you may lower the idle now that your timing is set better

Glad you finally got a light!

 

I suppose the idle is set on the carb? Maybe not, what do I know o No: Where is it? I've only set it on a moped before.. :laugh: I took these pictures of the carb, is it a q-jet, or some other model? I can't locate this screw they're talking about in this thread - http://v8buick.com/showthread.php?t=70797
Also if you would be to re-build this thing, is there a gasket between the carb and intake manifold that will need to be replaced? Is there also a gasket between intake manifold and block?

 

Side

 

Is this supposed to be connected to something?

 

Yes, that is a Quadrajet, and looks to be the original one. In photo 3 that is your EGR valve. It is emissions related. I would leave it disconnected.
Your idle screw is on the driver's side of the carb (the side you didn't show)
It is down low and near the front.
If you pull on the throtle cable (the cable on the driver's side running back to the firewall) you will see that as that as you release it and the lever comes back forward against the spring, there is a screw that it stops on. That is the idle screw.

There is a gasket between the carb and intake manifold, which should come with a carb rebuild kit.

(There is a gasket between the intake manifold and the heads, and gaskets between the heads and the block, and gaskets between just about every two parts in the motor...)

 

Hope this helps alittle.

 

Kimson- can you open up the primary butterfly and take a picture? That's potentially a pretty desireable carb :TU:

I didn't see it mentioned, but if you're going to be doing some carb tuning, do you have a vacuum gauge? IMO it's a quite necessary tool. Very simple to use, and it will help you tune the carb immensely

 

Yeah, I noticed that, and almost went back and discussed that in my post. But it is not touching the throtle in the photos, so I hope that does not confuse the situation.
Kimson
The thing bolted to the intake that also potentially stops the throttle form returning is the idle solonoid Larry is talking about. If it is not touching anything with the A/C off, it is not involved in your idle speed setting.

 

He he.. took the car to the post office, it sure liked that new setting. More responsive and didn't seem to work as hard as before. I guess -2 was not the optimal setting at the track, this should at least shave a little bit of the 18:43. Next in line is the HEI which I've been sitting on like a hen on an egg for way too long now.

- First up, how to find TDC? There seems to be a few versions of this, but the one that would suit me best is (I think?)the one where you have someone hold a finger over the "1" spark plug hole. Now, when finger is pushed off by the compression, you should have hit TDC, right? How do you know you didn't overshoot it? You just bump the ignition till this happens then you're set?

- Then check the rotor positon in the ditributor going out, mark it somehow in which direction it is pointing, so you can align the rotor of the HEI going in? I believe it should be pointing directly at "1" right?

- Then change the gear from the old dist over to the HEI

- When you put the HEI in you'll have to make sure it catches the (oil pump?) properly, so it goes in as it should, any trciks for this?

- Then you twist the body of the HEI so it lines up with No.1, tighten it.

- Then run a cable from the fuse box to the positive terminal on the HEI. The old stuff goes out when the new one is working.

- Try to start it, time it, and that should be it? Just want to see if I'm overlooking something here. Why should you diconnect the vacuum line from the distributor when you time it? I didn't do that his time, but there doesn't seem to be a problem.

Thanks for thelp guys :beer

 

Finding TDC
You need a 1-1/8th" socket and approproiate ratchet/extensions/breaker bar. Use this wrench on the big bolt in the center of the bottom pulley to turn the engine until the timing mark is at 0.
Now follow the spark plug wire back from the front spark plug on the driver's side (this is cylinder number 1) to where it plugs into the distributor cap. Make a mental note of which hole it plugs into, or mark it somehow. Un clip the distributor cap and look under it at where the rotor is pointing. If it is pointing to the terminal where #1 spark plug wire is connected, you are at TDC. If it is pointing the opposite direction, go back to your big socket and turn the motor one whole revolution, lining the timing mark up with 0 again. Now the rotor should be pointing at the terminal where #1 spark plug wire is connected and you are at TDC

 

The reason you want to do this is because, if your vacumm advance is working,
it will advance your timing. If your rpms change when you pull the vacumm advance hose off then you would want to plug it, then time it, then reconnect the hose.
Most of the ones I have messed with didn't work, but you can get new ones at any parts store.
It will run without it, but kills your gas mileage.