How to set timing in on 88 4.9
11-03-2010, 02:32 PM
#1
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How to set timing in on 88 4.9
I borrowed my buddy's inductive timing light today. Its sweet. I'm trying to determine what my timing is currently at...do i want to set the strobe to hit when my timing mark is passing through that little window? If so it says my timing is set at 16.6 degrees BTDC, which I think maybe I'd want to back off of.
This is the light I'm using http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16315
This is the light I'm using http://www.actron.com/product_detail.php?pid=16315
11-03-2010, 03:02 PM
#2
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Just to clear things up:
0. Painted the little timing mark on the pulley
1. Warmed the vehicle up to operating temp
2. Shut it off and pulled spout connector
3. Turned it back on
4. With the inductive clamp on wire 1 I aimed at the little teeth/notches with the numbers near the passenger side of the crank pulley. The timing light light is set at 00.00 and showed the mark at about the 9...or just a clockwise of the one big notch. Nine seems awful low, since the guy before me said he'd advanced the timing a little.
If I "advance" the timing light to 16.6 it hits in the little window.
My goal is to find out what my timing is really set at, and then to adjust it accordingly.
0. Painted the little timing mark on the pulley
1. Warmed the vehicle up to operating temp
2. Shut it off and pulled spout connector
3. Turned it back on
4. With the inductive clamp on wire 1 I aimed at the little teeth/notches with the numbers near the passenger side of the crank pulley. The timing light light is set at 00.00 and showed the mark at about the 9...or just a clockwise of the one big notch. Nine seems awful low, since the guy before me said he'd advanced the timing a little.
If I "advance" the timing light to 16.6 it hits in the little window.
My goal is to find out what my timing is really set at, and then to adjust it accordingly.
11-03-2010, 05:30 PM
#3
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Not sure about I-6, but my V-8 looks like this at 10ATDC: 
I believe, basically you'll be working w/ the 0 mark, & your base time is whatever you have the light set to, w/ pointer showing 0 as base time. But if light set to .00, you'll see what your actual base timing is set at. So light set to 10BTDC, you should see 0. I have a standard light, so I'm winging it as to how your works.
So, keep it simple, set it to .00 & see what you got. Question is, how to properly interpret your pointer. On my pointer, there is a small circle in the center, which is ignored & you go by upper straight edge portion (as in pic).
Here's 13BTDC:
I believe, basically you'll be working w/ the 0 mark, & your base time is whatever you have the light set to, w/ pointer showing 0 as base time. But if light set to .00, you'll see what your actual base timing is set at. So light set to 10BTDC, you should see 0. I have a standard light, so I'm winging it as to how your works.
So, keep it simple, set it to .00 & see what you got. Question is, how to properly interpret your pointer. On my pointer, there is a small circle in the center, which is ignored & you go by upper straight edge portion (as in pic).
Here's 13BTDC:
Last edited by ymeski56; 11-03-2010 at 05:41 PM.
11-03-2010, 06:21 PM
#4
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Thread Starter
Unless I'm looking at mine wrong, it looks a little different and theres not really a pointer like that, just a mark that spins on the crank pulley and stationary numberson a little plate with the that is in a really awkward place to see. I saw some other posts on the matter on other forums, which helped a little, I guess I'm just having trouble interpreting what I'm seeing. I'll run out and take some pictures in a little bit.
11-03-2010, 06:37 PM
#5
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Unless I'm looking at mine wrong, it looks a little different and theres not really a pointer like that, just a mark that spins on the crank pulley and stationary numberson a little plate with the that is in a really awkward place to see. I saw some other posts on the matter on other forums, which helped a little, I guess I'm just having trouble interpreting what I'm seeing. I'll run out and take some pictures in a little bit.
11-03-2010, 10:17 PM
#6
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Thread Starter
argh...no time for pictures tonight...forgot its teachers convention week here in nj I made plans to take the kids backpacking tomorrow and friday...50 degrees and 100% chance of rain here we come!
11-14-2010, 04:57 PM
#7
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Thread Starter
Ok heres what I'm talking about. It was pretty hard to get the second pic, holding a flashlight and trying to focus the camera. Its pretty way down in there to see the timing marks, with a lot of stuff hindering view. I cleaned up the etchings on the toothed plate, and from under the truck I can just barely get close enough to read them. They could have stamped the thing a little deeper. Anyway, I think the big notch is etched 10 BTDC. Going counter clockwise (left) the degrees increase and going clockwise they decrease, although I haven't been able to get at an angle where I can actually read them. When I strobe my timing light off of cylinder 1, it hits about the next notch to the right of 10 BTDC making me guess its set at about 9 right now? When I use the set timing function on the fancy timing light my buddy gave me it strobes in that little circular window when I set the light to 16.6 BTDC. I think I'm over thinking this and should ignore the fancy functions and that circular window. Am I correct in thinking that my timing is set at about 9 BTDC?
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11-18-2010, 06:02 PM
#8
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Thread Starter
This morning I believe I successfully set the timing on my inline six to 14btdc. I guess I was over thinking things a bit before with my fancy timing light, but its actually really simple to do. Anyway, figured I'd post the process for anyone else who's curious. Let me know if I've gotten anything wrong.
First off, you need a few tools:
-An inductive timing light (you can rent one from the auto parts store)
-1/2 inch wrench
-something that will make a small bright mark (white out, silver sharpie, nail polish)
-wire brush
-flashlight
First, crawl underneath you truck (in park or gear with the e-brake on and can't roll anywhere).
Clean up the metal part of the crank pulley to find the little timing mark etching and mark it with white out or something so you can see it really well. Remember that the mark is small and you might have to do some searching to find the mark. When I couldn't find it I cranked the motor to move the pulley around partially. Next clean up the little strip of toothed metal with the timing marks etchings. You can locate these from the top by following the yellow arrow in the first picture, but you've got to get on the ground to clean them.
Your cleaned up marks will look like this (here's where the flashlight comes in handy).
Even cleaned, the marks are really hard to read, so here's an edited pic to help you out.
Now turn your truck on and let it warm up to normal operating temp.
Once youre truck is warm, shut it off. Pull out your spout connector (here's where you can read all about what it does http://www.merkurencyclopedia.com/EEC-IV/spout.html) PUT IT IN A SAFE PLACE LIKE YOUR POCKET AND DON'T LOSE IT. ON TOP OF YOUR WASHER FLUID RES IS NOT A SAFE PLACE.
Loosen up the distributor bolt just A LITTLE with a few counterclockwise turns. DON'T MOVE YOUR DISTRIBUTOR YET!
Ok, turn the truck back on and hook up your timing light, with the inductive clamp on the first spark plug wire. Strobe the light down between the belt onto the timing marks. If you've done everything right thus far it will strobe on your timing mark on the crank pulley as it passes the plate with the little teeth, and you can figure out what your timing is currently set to. It will look like this (note I was fooling around a little here and the timing in the pic is set to 18BTDC, which is too much for most people).
Now that you know your timing, you can adjust it by very gently nudging the distributor either counter clockwise or clockwise. You only need to bump it a degree at a time, and then strobe the pulley again to see where you're at. Stock timing is 8-10BTDC. If you have done an ignition upgrade then you can bump it up a little like me.
Plug the spout connector back in and you're done! Hope this helps!
For all you guys with 8 cylinders, its essentially the same process, just things might look a little different. Theres great instructions listed here with pics of a 302 http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63592.
First off, you need a few tools:
-An inductive timing light (you can rent one from the auto parts store)
-1/2 inch wrench
-something that will make a small bright mark (white out, silver sharpie, nail polish)
-wire brush
-flashlight
First, crawl underneath you truck (in park or gear with the e-brake on and can't roll anywhere).
Clean up the metal part of the crank pulley to find the little timing mark etching and mark it with white out or something so you can see it really well. Remember that the mark is small and you might have to do some searching to find the mark. When I couldn't find it I cranked the motor to move the pulley around partially. Next clean up the little strip of toothed metal with the timing marks etchings. You can locate these from the top by following the yellow arrow in the first picture, but you've got to get on the ground to clean them.
Your cleaned up marks will look like this (here's where the flashlight comes in handy).
Even cleaned, the marks are really hard to read, so here's an edited pic to help you out.
Now turn your truck on and let it warm up to normal operating temp.
Once youre truck is warm, shut it off. Pull out your spout connector (here's where you can read all about what it does http://www.merkurencyclopedia.com/EEC-IV/spout.html) PUT IT IN A SAFE PLACE LIKE YOUR POCKET AND DON'T LOSE IT. ON TOP OF YOUR WASHER FLUID RES IS NOT A SAFE PLACE.
Loosen up the distributor bolt just A LITTLE with a few counterclockwise turns. DON'T MOVE YOUR DISTRIBUTOR YET!
Ok, turn the truck back on and hook up your timing light, with the inductive clamp on the first spark plug wire. Strobe the light down between the belt onto the timing marks. If you've done everything right thus far it will strobe on your timing mark on the crank pulley as it passes the plate with the little teeth, and you can figure out what your timing is currently set to. It will look like this (note I was fooling around a little here and the timing in the pic is set to 18BTDC, which is too much for most people).
Now that you know your timing, you can adjust it by very gently nudging the distributor either counter clockwise or clockwise. You only need to bump it a degree at a time, and then strobe the pulley again to see where you're at. Stock timing is 8-10BTDC. If you have done an ignition upgrade then you can bump it up a little like me.
Plug the spout connector back in and you're done! Hope this helps!
For all you guys with 8 cylinders, its essentially the same process, just things might look a little different. Theres great instructions listed here with pics of a 302 http://www.fullsizebronco.com/forum/showthread.php?t=63592.
Last edited by Pine Barron; 11-18-2010 at 07:28 PM.