Pinto - Distributor Timing??

[Anthony French]

Hello All,

So I have discovered oil leaking from the bottom of the distributor driveshaft. I want to take the distributor out and replace the o ring that seals it into the block.

I am a bit nervous about doing this as I dont want to screw up the ignition timimng and don't have an ignition timing light to hand. Can I get away with doing this without one??

My plan was to do it as follows:

1. Take leads and dizzy cap off

2. Set cylinder 1 to its firing position

3. Mark up the dizzy body position against the block

4. Take dissy off and replace 'o' ring

5. put dizzy back on and align the body with the mark I made on the block

6. Ensure cyliner 1 is set to its firing position

7. Dizzy cap and leads back on.

8. TURN THE KEY AND HOPE FOR THE BEST

Any help would be great.

Thanks,

Anthony,

[slater]

Sounds OK but make sure you make a note of where the rotor arm is pointing. Would always recomend putting a timing light on it just to check though as soon as possible.

lewis

[Anthony French]

Lewis,

Thanks for the reply.

If I am going to buy a timing light, is there anything specific I need. Or would a £20 draper or gunson inductive one do the job?

Thanks,

Anthony,

[Anthony French]

Oh and one other thing. My pinto is a standard 2.0 litre running on Weber 40's, it also has the standard ford distributor driven electronic ignition.

Can anyone advise what my ignition timing should be at idle (900rpm ish)? The Sierra manual states 6 degrees BTDC at idle

Thanks and Regards,

Anthony,

[Paul D Turner]

Anthony

Suggest you check the timing at idle before removing the dizzi and reset to exactly the same after replacing the "O" ring. If the car has been set up on a RR there is no gaurantee its the same as Ford spec since it has 40's which don't have a vacuem advance.

Paul

[green pinto]

your first idea will work mate

used that plan myself with no problems if you are getting a timming light use it before you strip the dizzy out that will give you the correct reading to rebuild but if it runs fine and you mark it and put it back together the same no problem  

[Anthony French]

Thanks very much for the advice,

Sounds like I should be Ok. Gonna get a timing light and measure before taking it to bit just to be on the safe side. Plus I figure its worth having for the future anyway.

[J Chadburn]

if you get one lend it us pls bud

[slater]

timing lights vary in price the cheaper they are the harder it is to see the timing marks. Pick out the marks with a bit of tipex

unless you are going to buy a mains powered light, it makes things so much easier also try and be in the shade. Gunsons do a good middle of the road one with a xeon bulb.

lewis

[Anthony French]

Got a Draper one with a Xenon light, paid about £25, seems pretty good.

Can lend it you mate no probs, when do you need it?

Cheers,

Anthony,

[cast iron]

set the timing to 32degrees at about 4000RPM

Be carefull of the distributor drive as it has a long helix when you remove and fit it the rotor arm will rotate quite a bit when re fitting if you line the body up first

[J Chadburn]

when ever mate sort your self out firs mate and when done chears mate

jchadburn@btinternet.com

07950283145

[J Chadburn]

set the timing to 32degrees at about 4000RPM

Be carefull of the distributor drive as it has a long helix when you remove and fit it the rotor arm will rotate quite a bit when re fitting if you line the body up first

I may be stupid  (no comment required!!!) but i thought all you did was

on cossi lump

1. put tip-ex on grove

2. put + to + - to - and lead around plug 1 lead

3 . let engine idel

4 ajust dizzy so light flashs when tip ex hit tdc??

never done this before so is this corect or wrong its just what i have read??

so what dose this set 32 deg above 4000rpm mean??

and basicly how do you do it as i've got it wrong some where

[perksy]

Sorry *if* this has already been said above

but beware that the Distributor also drives the Oil pump on the Pinto

When removing the Dizzy make sure you don't loose the Hex' bit in between them

(Otherwise you'll have no oil pressure)

Edit - for spellin    

[cast iron]

your more likely to be high revs when driving and its more important to have the ignition correct for when your pushing on. distributors can be old and worn so best to get it right for the top end IMHO