[bhdarling]

I just bought a 1966 Mustang with a 200 CID 6 cyl. The timing mark on the damper is way off of the timing marker. I have replaced the distributor with a rebuilt. Reset the dwell to 40 degrees. Reset the idle. And I am using a timing light. If I try and adjust the timing to get it to the 0 degree mark the car runs horrible and stalls. It runs ok where it was. When using a timing light the mark on the damper is about 60 degrees retarded. Hence-- I cannot set the timing correctly not knowing where it is. The timing is just where it was before the new distributor, the problem is exactly the same after installing a new distributor, resetting the dwell, idle and using the timing light. I reinstalled the distributor several times and got the same results. I put in the new distributor with the piston at TDC and checked the distributor location. The engine runs good even though the timing mark is way off the indicator. I dont know all work the previous owner did other than install a new carburetor and some valve work. Your help and ideas is appreciated.

 

[tripleblack]

Damper

At first blush, this looks like a damper problem (could be a wrong part from a different motor - or just the markings are out of place). I'd recheck the distributor install, since this is easy to get off a tooth or two, and TDC is crucial, and how are you determining TDC?

What kind of new distributor are you using? If you are changing to an electronic unit, there are things that can go wrong there as well...

tripleblack

I just bought a 1966 Mustang with a 200 CID 6 cyl. The timing mark on the damper is way off of the timing marker. I have replaced the distributor with a rebuilt. Reset the dwell to 40 degrees. Reset the idle. And I am using a timing light. If I try and adjust the timing to get it to the 0 degree mark the car runs horrible and stalls. It runs ok where it was. When using a timing light the mark on the damper is about 60 degrees retarded. Hence-- I cannot set the timing correctly not knowing where it is. The timing is just where it was before the new distributor, the problem is exactly the same after installing a new distributor, resetting the dwell, idle and using the timing light. I reinstalled the distributor several times and got the same results. I put in the new distributor with the piston at TDC and checked the distributor location. The engine runs good even though the timing mark is way off the indicator. I dont know all work the previous owner did other than install a new carburetor and some valve work. Your help and ideas is appreciated.

 

[Veronica]

Hello. It is very common on the 200s for the outer part of the balancer to slip around some due to the rubber being all dryed out and cracked.You could just locate TDC, make a mark and then set the timing for 10 degrees before TDC,or you could replace the balancer, which is one of the very few parts that is actually more expensive than on a V8 car, because the balancer is also the crank pulley,which also contributes to the thing slipping around.Hope that helps.

 

[rcabral]

distributor

Can anyone tell me how to move my distributor a tooth or so. I am trying to install a pony carb and I may have to do this. I would like to know how before I get started.

Also, a little help on the pink wire issue. I have installed a Protonix ignition in the distributor and will be adding an 45,000v coil. I have heard I need to do something with the pink resister wire, or run a wire to the coil that is 12v. Anybody have specific instructions on this?

 

[ponyman65]

i have had several problems with the crank dampner slipping on the pulley so if u havent replaced it i would start there.

 

[Joes72/65]

I know this is a very low-tech solution, but I always set my timing with a vacuum gauge and tach, as I am well aware of the slipping damper problem. Someone once tried using a timing light on my '72, and it had no power at all until I vacuum-timed it. Granted, I can't tell anyone what my timing is set at, but both my 'Stangs run great!

 

[Charlie Cheap]

A very old thread but this info is needed. The 65/66 200 six used the Load-O-Matic distributor and requires the 1100 carb with the valve on the side to properly advance the distributor. The vac. line connects to the ported vac. above the throttle plate giving near 0 vac. at idle but it increases as rpm increases. Therefore no need to disconnect vac. line to set static timing. That is unless you have a Calif. car. It uses a regular dual (weights & vacuum) distributor. Then you pinch-off or disconnect the vacuum line, set static timing (usually12 but with todays gas 10 is better) reconnect vacuum and check timing. It will increase with vacuum connected. Inside the California distributor I switch the mechanical adv. to the lesser of the 2 choices. To clarify, there are 2 limiting notches on the swing-weights under the points plate. They are marked 15L or 10L (some differ but the adj. is the same) which means the crank is twice that or 30 or 20 degrees advance. How do I know this? I am an old "race guy" and left my Calif. dist. at 15L and set the initial at 15. That gave me 15 dist. or twice at crank for 30 + 15 initial=45 degrees and the vacuum added a little toooooo much! Now I have a broken #6 ring and 2 bent pushrods. Do not go above 36 TOTAL advance with a points distributor and check it on a Sun machine if you can locate one. I am now using 10 initial + 20 weights + 5(guessing) for 35 total. BOOOO on alcohol gas!!

 

[rex1965]

Initial ignition timing should always be checked with a timing light, over advancing the timing causes the combustion temperatures to increase dramatically, which means the pistons and valves may not cool enough, so you risk burnt valves and a hole in the piston, none of which are good. Vacuum advance is a little difference story, as vacuum advance is more with the throttle partially closed, so the combustion chamber only has partial filling of the gas air mixture. My 2 cts. Good Luck.

 

[bobmar230]

im having similar problems my damper appears to be off what i did was pull the #1 spark plug rotate the motor until i see the piston reach tdc than i looked at the damper and it was off about 1/2 inch than i pulled the cap off and found the dist was off a tooth i remarked the damper rotated the dist and it ran better. it still is not right lack of power. i have it in the shop now and they are having a hard time figuring out the problem.

 

[sprog]

Did the shop find the problem I am having same issue.

 

[ranchero]

ideally, if you removed the timing cover and damper, verify the timing chain lining up the dots and crank keyway, you should be at TDC on #1 cylinder.
your distributor rotor should be at the #1 cylinder firing post on the cap. that should get you to fire up the car and then adjust timing to your 10-12 degs with your vac guage and dist. vac port plugged and idling round 800 rpm.
i've had a damper separate on the freeway once. not pretty. so replacing those might be necessary.