Timing Mark change

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RLF Cuda

RLF Cuda

Barracuda Bob
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My '68 340 Cuda had the timing mark on the passenger side using a tab. I rebuild a 1970 340 which has the timing mark on the drivers side, and is now covered by the driver side outlet from the water pump. I want to install timing tape with the TDC mark correct for the passenger side timing mark. Does anyone know how much offset in degrees or inches there is between the passenger and driver side marks. All new dampeners are set up for the driver side case marks.

I found on BHS that the Driver Side timing mark is 7° CCW from the key. If someone knows the offset from the key for the Passenger side mark, that would allow calculation of the total distance between the two marks.

Thanks,
Bob
 
I'm pretty green mate, but I think it's 16* per inch. I just re-fabricated that tab to work on the driver's side myself. I wonder if you couldn't just bolt it on and you'd have both TDC marks ??? until you got the tape on anyway. lap
 
The most accurate way to do it is put a stop in place of the number 1 spark plug. Find exact TDC and place the tape and mark accordingly.
The detailed proceedure and making that stop is in a thread here somewhere.
Hope this helps
 
I have some factory balancers out in the shop, what i noticed about them, is early to to late...they all had 2 marks, so when u line up the mark to the pass side...there is a mark that also lines up on the drivers side. fwiw

You can also do the tdc piston stop method and use a marker/tape/file a line to be more accurate than the factory.
 
RLF Cuda said:
...............how much offset in degrees or inches there is between the passenger and driver side marks......................I found on BHS that the Driver Side timing mark is 7° CCW from the key..................... the offset from the key for the Passenger side mark, that would allow calculation of the total distance between the two marks.
Click to expand...


PLEASE FORGET this sillyness

POINT numba ONE. You do not know if the current mark is correct

POINT nubma TEU. RE-read point numba one

(I'm 64 and have pretty bad arthritis. I can still do this procedure in less than 45 min. on an A/ B body on a good day)

PLEASE buy, make, steal, obtain, a piston stop, it will take you FAR less time to do this right with a piston stop and then you will KNOW the mark is on

Piston stop:

https://www.google.com/search?tbm=i....0.0.0.0.166.1509.3j10.13.0...0.0.hVCS91ws7nQ

http://www.jerrybramlett.net/images/pic_installation.jpg

Remove the number one plug, make sure the piston is "down a ways" and remove the battery ground for safety

Install the device. You may need to adjust the length (NOT critical) the first time you use it. You are NOT trying to stop the piston at TDC, but rather with the piston 'down in the hole' some amount

Wrench the engine around until it stops on the device. Make a temporary mark exactly under TDC on the timing marker.

Rotate the engine CCW, until it stops again. Make a second mark, same as before

You should now have two marks some distance apart. Exact TDC will be halfway between the two marks, and THAT is the end
 
Thanks for the comments! I have done the piston stop method and the marks line up exactly with the timing cover mark for 0°. I used an ink marker to make a 0° mark for the bolt on tab, but it is not nearly as accurate as I would like it to be.

My real question about the degrees offset between the marks was directed at installing timing tape with the 0° mark correctly lined up with the bolt on tab.

With my Drivers Side water pump intake, I can barely see the Drivers Side timing mark on the dampener. If I know the exact offset of the timing mark from the keyway for the older dampeners, I can use that info with the 7° offset of the DS 0*° mark to get things essentially perfect. I am probably overthinking this as I already have the approximate location of TDC Mark for the right side, and maybe that is sufficient for most intents and purposes. But I want to do this as accurately as possible.

I guess I could get a new water pump and radiator and eliminate the problem from that end, but I like my current desert cooler radiator just fine.

Thanks again,
Bob
 
Bob, you misunderstood. MAKE the correct TDC mark FOR THE TAB YOU are going to use and do this by using a piston stop. Forget this "offset business, it simply adds another "room for error." Then after you get the mark in place, all you need to do is align the timing tape with your "new" TDC marker

(I HATE those "error rooms")
 

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Do exactly what 67dart273 says, ask me how I know!! Make sure you get the correct timing tape for your engine.
Here is something to add confusion....LOL any size circle is 360*. So if you get the circumference of your circle(damper), btw the formula is circumference=3.14 X diameter. Once you have circumference, you can divide that by 360 that gives you the amount of degrees per inch. Good luck
 
I have the engine out now for a leaky valve (actually 3-4) and a torque convert seal leak. Now that I can do things from a stand, it is much easier.
Bob
 
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