Static Timing a M

I have gotten this procuedure from someone else, but want to make sure that it is correct before I go and try it. So to static time my M i get #1 at TDC on the compression stroke, unkook the ground from the points. Loosen the distrubitor and hook a continuity light up to both sides of points. Turn the dist. until the light just comes on. This will be exact. Does this sound correct? Also is it possible to use a timing light? Which mark on the FP is TDC, 1st or 2nd?

all i do is #1 TDC comp. line up marks, loosen and retard dist. then turn on ign. switch and advance slowly till you here the spark crack at points, tighten right there and your timed. did not try it with a light, but i am wondering how the light can come on if the points open and break the circuit.

You can do it a couple ways without an auxiliary lights, etc. First way:

1 - Set the engine to TDC.

2 - Pull the center wire from the distributor. Attach it to a spare spark plug then lay the plug atop the coil so the plug shell is grounded.

3 - Loosen the distributor clamp bolt.

4 - Turn on the ignition and slowly rotate the distributor housing back and forth until you hear/see a spark at the plug.

5 - Now rotate the distributor first CLOCKWISE, then very slowly back COUNTERclockwise until the plug fires. Stop at this point and tighten the clamp bolt.

The distributor will now be timed to exactly TDC.

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You can also do it by watching the ammeter (use a mirror so you can observe the ammeter while standing on distributor side of the engine):

(Steps #1 - #3 are same as above…)

4 - Turn on the ignition and slowly rotate the distributor housing back and forth while watching the ammeter. You should see it swing to discharge (points closed) then back to 0 (points open)

5 - Now rotate the distributor first CLOCKWISE so the ammeter shows discharge, then very slowly back COUNTERclockwise until the ammeter swings to 0. Stop at this point and tighten the clamp bolt.

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Note! Don’t leave the ignition switch on longer than necessary to set the timing. Otherwise you risk burning the points and overheating the coil.

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I don’t have my manuals with me right now. However if memory serves TDC is the 2nd of the two FP notches (the first notch is the “full advance” notch I believe).

Anyway you can verify the TDC notch by pulling the #1 plug and using a pencil or piece of wire in the plug hole. While rocking the crankshaft back and forth between the timing notches, use the pencil/wire to “feel” when the piston is at TDC then note which notch corresponds to TDC position.

That sounds alot easier than trying to use lights. That is all i have ever used before was a test light. Same principle but more work. Thanks!!!!!!!

Howdy
Just something to think about, the best tune up man I ever knew told me , when working on engines with lots of miles/hours on em, the timing marks are only used to get the timing close. Due to wear on timing gears/chains, dist gears/shafts, the timing is going to change at various engine speeds and loads. What he showed me and what I have always done is power time the engine. Get her running good as you can then take it out and run/work it, leave the dist just loose enough so you can turn it with the engine running, then you have to get off turn the dist one way or the other till it sounds the best, get back on the tractor work it some more and try again if not satisfied with performance. You may have to do this 3,4 or 5 times to get it where you want it but you make that decision not some mark put on by the factory 50 years ago. Works for me kinda like adjusting a carb.
Bob S.

The FIRST mark is TDC according to an original manual. The two marks are to differentiate the timing marks from the single mark that lines up a grease fitting to lubricate the pilot bearing.

The timing light works because it fires the light from the juice to the plug, rather than from juice going through the points. One of the great secrets of old ignitions is that they don't make the spark when the points are closed, they make the spark when the points open, causing the electro-magnetic field that was building up in the coil (while the points were closed) to collapse and discharge the voltage for the spark.

In the old days, timing lights used to come with a little springy thingy, would remind you of a short piece of one of those simple coiled screen-door springs, only smaller in diameter and actually different sizes at the two ends. The bigger end fit over the terminal on your plug, and the smaller end into the terminal on your plug wire, and you clamped onto the springy thingy with the cable from your light that would trigger the bulb to fire. These newer fangled ones use the clip that just wraps around the plug wire to sense the current and trigger the bulb. I don't think they work as well on the old-style wires -- they won't fire off time, but they don't seem to fire as reliably as the old direct connections.

The best way I have found to time my Farmalls is to use a dial back timing lite. Set the idle on the tractor as slow as you can. Set the timing lite to zero. Adjust the distributer till the light flashes on the first mark. Set the timing light to 20 degrees advanced. Speed up the engine. Light should still flash on the first mark. This method also checks the advance in the distributer.. Luck Bernie Steffen

scotty, it just didnt hit me then. thats right and the condeser stores the spark till the points open. this is simple stuff for us older fockers to figure out. its that electronic stuff that is something else.

"the condeser stores the spark till the points open"

That's 100% WRONG. When the points are closed, both sides of the condenser are at ground potential, and NO energy is stored in the condenser while the points remain closed.

The energy that makes the spark is stored in the coil, as a magnetic field in it's soft iron core.

When the points open, there's no longer current flow through the coil's primary, so the magnetic field collapses making the high-tension spark.

The condenser's main function is to prevent arcing at the points as they open, which would dissipate energy as HEAT, rather than sending a HOT spark to the plugs.

BULL.

Any wear to the timing gears simply affects valve timing a bit, NOT piston position.

I've never seen and engine YET (assuming a working spark advance mechanism) that couldn't be timed with a timing light.