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Farmall & IHC Tractors Discussion Forum
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Farmall M timing

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dmt

08-12-2006 16:14:28




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Hello I have a 1949 Farmall M with a distributer. What is the timing set at for it. Also the point gap. My manual says specs for only a mag. It is switched to 12 volt system. Im familier with timing this tractor, I just need the specs. Thanks! Dave




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dmt

08-13-2006 08:46:26




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 Re: Farmall M timing -HERES WHAT HAPPENED in reply to dmt, 08-12-2006 16:14:28  
Ok people, I set my points at .020 and set the timing at the 1st notch running full throtle. The tractor was laboring to run full throtle and would kill at low idle. So.....I set it by ear to where it labored a bit then backed it of a bit. It is very responsive now but Im not to sure what to think of this timing light issue where it is to be set at the 1st notch cause it is definetly too much. I would appriciate any comments. Thanks! Dave

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CNKS

08-13-2006 10:56:30




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 Re: Farmall M timing -HERES WHAT HAPPENED in reply to dmt, 08-13-2006 08:46:26  
Time it to the first DOUBLE notch with the engine OFF, as I said before. Regardless of the other comments you need to do nothing else, except maybe tweak it slightly, and I do mean slightly. As mentioned below, the 1st notch on some tractors is off by itself, away from the double notches; a timing light can be used on it, far as I know but I have never timed it to that mark. Your tractor may or may not have that mark. 1949 is about the time distributers became standard, yours may not have had one when new. If not my guess (presented without proof) is that yours does not have the extra notch. As you found out it will be WAY off if a light is used on the first of the double notches. If you did time it to the separate notch, I don't have an explantion. I do not know why some posters (not you) make a simple operation so darn complicated.

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dmt

08-13-2006 15:52:49




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 Re: Farmall M timing -HERES WHAT HAPPENED in reply to CNKS, 08-13-2006 10:56:30  
Hello there. I just wanted to let you know I set the timing to the 1st double notch and points to .020 It worked great. My timing by ear war only off about a 1/6 if a inch on the dist. mounting. Again, Thanks! Dave T.



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CNKS

08-13-2006 17:42:23




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 Re: Farmall M timing -HERES WHAT HAPPENED in reply to dmt, 08-13-2006 15:52:49  
Good. The "by the book" method is pretty foolproof. You can fine tune them, but on that everyone has their own ideas, as this thread indicates. A lot of people use TDC as a starting point and then tweak them. That's ok too as long as you don't get detonation. As you found, you don't have to move it much.



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dmt

08-12-2006 20:37:13




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 Re: Farmall M timing att...tractor vet in reply to dmt, 08-12-2006 16:14:28  
tractor vet, What update are you talking about on my distributer? How can I tell if it has been done and if not what all does it envolve? Thank you for your information! Dave



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the tractor vet

08-12-2006 20:54:07




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 Re: Farmall M timing att...tractor vet in reply to dmt, 08-12-2006 20:37:13  
It involved the plate that limits the movement of the rotor on the flyweights and the two ways to tell is one with a timming lite or on a dist. machine where ya can see the advance curve at the varing RPM's now as to when they brought this out i can not say i found out about this from a old timer I H mechanic years ago and the last time i redid a dist for a guy for tractor pulling i just went down to the dealer and bought one as they were still avlible 6years ago . I got him and extra 5 horse out of his M as he had already did a rebuild with the 4 inch high dome pistons and a 450 head and cam and carb .

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CNKS

08-12-2006 17:35:34




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to dmt, 08-12-2006 16:14:28  
0.020, timing at TDC.



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CNKS

08-12-2006 17:46:59




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to CNKS, 08-12-2006 17:35:34  
Also the timing is set to the first notch on the pulley with the engine OFF.



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Wayne Swenson

08-12-2006 20:50:12




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to CNKS, 08-12-2006 17:46:59  
WOAH!!!!! !
Timing is set at the double set of notches!! They are TDC. The first single notch is for maximum advance!
Remember, advanced timing (running at wide open throttle) the spark occurs earlier(advanced) so as the pulley rotates, the single mark comes past the indicator pin first (before top dead center) and the double set comes later(top dead center) and that is where static (engine off) timing is set!

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CNKS

08-13-2006 07:16:26




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to Wayne Swenson, 08-12-2006 20:50:12  
Wayne, I don't disagree. I quoted what the IH service manual said, it said the first notch, I did interpret that to mean the first of the double set. It did not mention the advanced notch. I have never used a timing light on a tractor, which as you say would be for the single stand-alone notch, perhaps that is what TV meant. Haven't looked at my H, Super H, and M that close, I am not sure they all have the single notch. I do adjust it by ear if the engine seems to be laboring. Set exactly to specs is not always correct. I just don't think you need a timing light on those tractors, if somewone wants to use one that's ok. The key is whether or not it detonates under load. Advance it too far and you get problems.

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the tractor vet

08-13-2006 07:42:05




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to CNKS, 08-13-2006 07:16:26  
Setting and old farmall by ear is realy not the way to go beause by the time it starts to sound good to where you start to remove the LABORING sound you are way tofar ahead . TDC to +5 degrees at curb ideal is more then enough and at full throttel here again depending on what curve kit it has no more the 35 degrees at full throttel. but with the overbore and stephead or high alt. pistons thats tomuch even with the high test gas . As none of us know for sure what all has been done to the old girl over the years as to how much has been planed off the head or the top of the block or has the cam been changed over the years and alow for ware to the gears thinks change when and H or M is set real close to perfect when your running down the road and ya shove the throttel down there should be some poppen and light backfiren on the coast or slowsdown if you have all this removed then you have the timing to far ahead and you are hurting the bottom end pull power of the tractor.

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CNKS

08-13-2006 09:24:49




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to the tractor vet, 08-13-2006 07:42:05  
TV, That's your opinion, I have mine. You make things far more complicated than they really are. The letter series engines are not sophisticated, you do not need sophisticated procedures to tune them. Sure, you can use them, but they are not necessary. Same with gas.



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John M

08-13-2006 05:09:33




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to Wayne Swenson, 08-12-2006 20:50:12  
I have 3 Ms and none of them have a set of double notches, just two single notches,Ive always made my initial settings to the first notch,with the engine off.Ive never worried about a timing light either,just always set it to run the best.



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CNKS

08-13-2006 07:19:24




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to John M, 08-13-2006 05:09:33  
I agree, when I think about it, I think my Super H does have the single notch, the other two were origially equipped with mags, not sure those had the single notch, perhaps someone can clear that up. I agree that you don't need a timing light. TV gets a little wild sometimes, that's just his nature.



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the tractor vet

08-12-2006 19:38:03




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to CNKS, 08-12-2006 17:46:59  
Now i beg to differ with ya but when setting timeing on Any Gas farmall it should be done RUNNING and yes i was wrong on the gap and why i put in the .019 don't know it is .020 i stand correced there . And like i said this all depeneds on wheather at one time during a rebuild with Step head overbore if they changed the dist . over to the new timeing spec. When ever i do a dist i make the change in the plate and springs and run it on the strobe and this is good for a few more ponys So you can not always go by the book and if nothing has ever been done then it could be way off . Now when you have worked on as many farmalls that i have over the years then you can give the guys as much as i can on as many models that i have helped the boys with .

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the tractor vet

08-12-2006 17:03:42




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 Re: Farmall M timing in reply to dmt, 08-12-2006 16:14:28  
Points set at .019 and timeing is set at full throttel to the first notch on the pulley . Now if this tractor has had the update installed in the dist . then you will not get the 35 degrees as they found out that they would lug better at around 29 degrees but still had the TDC for easy start .



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