how to place timimg tape?

[evilokc]

I have a small timing tab on my damper. I cant see the thing and would like to be able to adjust my timing with a little more confidence. they make stickers that you apply to the damper. the stickers go out more degrees than the tabs and the numbers are easier to see. I have been looking online and I cant find instructions on how to properly place the sticker on the damper on a motor that's already timed. has anyone added one of these?

[geezer#99]

Align the zero on the tape with the mark on your balancer and put the tape on in a clockwise direction.
This is accurate if your balancer mark is accurate.
Also buy at least 6 tapes. They always fly off.

[evilokc]

thanks for the reply man. I just found those same instructions minus the fly off warning. seems pretty simple. trucks running well but I would like to verify the settings.

[oldman3]

Make sure you clean the balancer super clean, if not tape with fly off after a little while.

On mine I cleaned it several times, and only put on tape to about 40 degress, cut of the rest, cause I didn't need it, Spray it with some clear paint, couple coats. Mine hasn't flown off in 14 yrs. Good luck...Jim

[1project2many]

The best way is to locate TDC on the balancer. Locating TDC requires using a piston stop if you have one.

[dsraven]

if you don't have a piston stopper, like 1 project advises, remove a spark plug and improvise using a piece of hard rubber or vinyl tube down the #1 spark plug hole. turn the engine slowly as you watch the tubing slowly rise as the piston comes up to tdc. use a piece of masking tape on the vibe damper so you can mark the tdc point as well as possible(mark when the tubing stops rising and again as it starts going down again). mark the tape when the tubing stops rising, then again when it starts dropping. take the happy medium between those two marks as TDC. it is the poor mans way (yup used it lots myself). then make a quick mark on the damper with a punch or whatever. you can put a pointer anywhere at this point and then simply align the new degree tape where it need to be to line up with the pointer. clean the vibe damper well with some sandpaper and a quick coat of laquer, then apply the new tape.

[mr48chev]

The whole reason for using a timing tape is knowing that you have the exact or as close to exact TDC position marked.

The best way is to do it before you put the head on but a lot of the time that isn't possible. The rubber or plastic tube trick that Dsraven gave works pretty well just don't use anything that is hard or anything that can break off.

The true and proper way would be to use a piston stop in the spark plug hole, turn the crank by hand one way. mark where it stopped on the damper, turn it back the other way until it stops in the other direction and mark that spot and split the difference and that is your TDC mark. Some guys hull out a spark plug and weld a bolt or piece of rod in it that will be where the piston stops against it to do that. Or spend a bunch of bucks to buy the tool to do it.

[1project2many]

Some guys hull out a spark plug and weld a bolt or piece of rod in it that will be where the piston stops against it

Which sounds so easy that when I was in my early '20s I said "Oh! I'll just bust the center out of this R45TS plug, drill the center, and weld in a bolt." Well, it turns out that the body of an AC Delco Plug is hardened steel! It took a long time and a lot of re-sharpening to get a drill through that old plug. So if you decid to make a DIY piston stop, use a Champion plug.

[Black_Sheep]

The key is proper surface prep and a little heat for the adhesive to work. Or, you can use one of these...

https://www.summitracing.com/parts/p...7bkc/overview/

[hogfarm]

Originally Posted by mr48chev

The whole reason for using a timing tape is knowing that you have the exact or as close to exact TDC position marked.

The best way is to do it before you put the head on but a lot of the time that isn't possible. The rubber or plastic tube trick that Dsraven gave works pretty well just don't use anything that is hard or anything that can break off.

The true and proper way would be to use a piston stop in the spark plug hole, turn the crank by hand one way. mark where it stopped on the damper, turn it back the other way until it stops in the other direction and mark that spot and split the difference and that is your TDC mark. Some guys hull out a spark plug and weld a bolt or piece of rod in it that will be where the piston stops against it to do that. Or spend a bunch of bucks to buy the tool to do it.

A customer of mine in my Harley shop brought his bike up for me to fix.It seems he was using a plastic chop stick to find TDC,it did not work out well

[_Ogre]

all i see is the tape coming off, easy way is to get an adjustable timing light
my ramjet 350 has the single groove marked on the balancer and a single arrow pointer on the block
setting initial timing at +10 was easy once i got the adjustable light

i believe autozone has this one (same i have) in the free tool rental program

[evilokc]

Originally Posted by _Ogre

all i see is the tape coming off, easy way is to get an adjustable timing light
my ramjet 350 has the single groove marked on the balancer and a single arrow pointer on the block
setting initial timing at +10 was easy once i got the adjustable light

i believe autozone has this one (same i have) in the free tool rental program

my damper has a single groove in it and I have a small bolt on scale that goes up to 8 or 10 degrees. I would like one that goes up to 30 or so that will help with initial and total. that's why I was looking at the tape.

[Jesse Z]

Advance timing until engine pings under load. Retard timing until pinging stops. Done.

[evilokc]

Originally Posted by Jesse Z

Advance timing until engine pings under load. Retard timing until pinging stops. Done.

my timing is set well enough to drive. I'm not having any real issues but I would like to know exactly where its at.

[dsraven]

I have had a few pretty good runners before that really benefitted from a distributor recurve and some carb work. some you wouldn't even know it was the same vehicle the difference was that big.

[evilokc]

Originally Posted by dsraven

I have had a few pretty good runners before that really benefitted from a distributor recurve and some carb work. some you wouldn't even know it was the same vehicle the difference was that big.

exactly why I would like to be able to read the dial out to 30

[dsraven]

you could install a knock sensor and monitor that voltage while driving and adjusting the timing etc. like a fuel injected engine computer does....
before you start that slippery slope yank the distributor out and do a check on bushings, shaft wear, weights and their pivot points, weight springs etc etc. if it needs a rebuild you could always just get a new distributor that is already curved to your likings, then do the same for the carb, check throttle shaft wear, base plate trueness, etc etc. or, again, for the price, just grab a new one with the stuff you like already set up.
then dyno
then talk to your tire supplier, haha

[Black_Sheep]

Originally Posted by evilokc

exactly why I would like to be able to read the dial out to 30

Just be sure the surface you apply the timing tape to is clean and smooth. After applying the tape, gently warm it and apply pressure to set the adhesive. The tape on my Plymouth has been there since 2000, I don't think it would come off now, even if I wanted it to/