help for a novice

[pauly]

I want to check the timing on my grey motor. I bought a timing light but even with that I cannot see the timing mark on the flywheel. I even put some white paint on the mark but it didn't help.

Also when I line up the timing mark the rotor is facing number 5 lead, I turned the engine by hand several times but it still faces number 5. Could it be this far out and still run ?( the engine works but its not spot on )

I have a workshop manual but its not helping a great deal. Can anyone help me ? I have had no experience with this kind of thing before, also I am running electronic ignition.

thanks
Paul

[ekstevo]

as I've never worked on a grey motor don't take this as any help really just wondering if you put the timing light pick up on lead number 5 can you see the mark then?

[Harv]

G'day Pauly,

The timing mark on the flywheel should only be visible when the rotor is pointing to #1, or #6. The table in this thread may help:
http://www.fbekholden.com/forum/viewtop ... le#p218916

If it is running, it is unlikely to be at #5 when it is supposed to be firing #1. There a number of things that could make it seem this way:
a) the engine is running waaaaay advanced (the rotor is passing spark to #1 before the motor is near TDC, fires, then moves on towards giving spark to #5). This would be making the motor tend to ping,
b) the engine has been pulled apart at some stage and a weird combination of dizzy and flywheel put together. This seems odd, though is not unplausible... there were a few different flywheel/dizzy combinsations for the grey. It can also happen if the dizzy has been loosened in the clamp and rotated. There is some info here on the way the clamp can be fiddled to reset the timing to run in the window:
http://www.fbekholden.com/forum/viewtop ... de#p205186
I've had a couple of greys that run right on the edge of the timing window because of this. Try putting the timing light on #1 lead, loosen the dizzy bolt then turn the dizzy a little either way to see if the mark appears in the timing window.

Worst comes to worst, one tried and true method is to advance the timing a bit (by moving the dizzy), then take it for a drive uphill with four fat mates along for the ride. If it doesn't ping, advance it a little more and go for another drive. Repeat until it pings, then back it off a little.

Cheers,
Harv

[pauly]

Thanks for the info, i will check it out.