I went to set my timing on my car for the first time and discovered this red dot - is this the "12" timing mark? It seems like its closer to 1-2 o'clock.

NO.

Relative to your dot, look to the left and down. Not the water pump pulley, but the pulley on the balancer on the crankshaft.

Good pic, mindscape!
I rubbed white marker paint into the grooves on the timing marker plate so I could see it easier.
Also, on the harmonic balancer, you need to fill the WIDE groove with white paint... makes it much easier to see it then when you use your timing light.
You also gotta be a contortionist to see everything, but once you get at the right angle everything becomes clear...
BTW, wear insulated gloves when you grab the dist. to set it, there is a lot of shock value there

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Bob Cardone
Suncoast Fieros

'85 2M6 SE Targa

Insulated glove - GOOD IDEA!

I wear a welding glove on my left hand when setting the timing. My 1974 AMC Hornet 360, setting the timing about 10 years ago I got a shock from an Accel 50,000 volt coil. IT will GET YOUR ATTENTION. It hit me nearly a half-dozen times. Up my left arm, down the left side, and out the bottom of my shoe.

Mindscape.......great pic......that was hard to take.....I know.

Why use insulated gloves.....where is your spirit of adventure! If you have good plug wires and they're on good you should not get shocked..........but.......

Phil

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GTDude
25 years GM experience

This picture was helpful to me:

[This message has been edited by Adrift (edited 02-24-2002).]

quote Originally posted by Adrift:

Wow is there actually supposed to be numbers on the plate? I never knew

quote Originally posted by Adrift: [This message has been edited by Adrift (edited 02-24-2002).]

so the mark is actually the 1st "groove" from the left, if you look at the numbers on that pic.
from left: first peek is 12 second peek is 8, 10 is in the middle, close to where mine is.

Mindskape: that would make your white mark about 0 deg?

Be sure to do it with the diagnostic terminals crossed, or it will be way retarded.....
How much extra timing are people running with 93 octane and 180 thermostat? I'm up to 14 with no problem even with the EGR disconnected.

Bruce
BQUICK

Another thing to look at "while you're there" is timing mark drift.

This happens when the outter ring of the balancer slips on the inner hub. if this happens, replace your balancer quick! It's on it's way to a mission of destruction.

Pull your #1 plug out, and if you've got it, carefully arrange a dial indicator in the plug hole, otherwise gently use a screwdriver down there after you think you're close to TDC. Turn the engine over by hand in the correct rotation direction until you feel/see TDC exactly, and then check the marks. Should be bang on "0".

Another thing you can now do (before you move anything) is pull off the distributor cap, and put a clothes pin/etc on the edge to mark where the rotor is. Now rotate the engine backwards (by hand, duh) and see how many degrees it takes before the tip of the rotor JUST starts to move. Any more than around 7-10 degrees is a good indicator that your timing chain has stretched.

(more than you wanted to know for one day? heh)

What is the tube thing next to the timing tab for?

Bruce

Yes, Adrift, when timing my water pump, I always use the red mark, at the 2 o'clock position. One o'clock if in the Eastern time zone, or if I want better fuel economy and performance, but then have to use high-octane coolant. Otherwise I risk pinging when going uphill

Seriously, BQUICK, I think the tube thing is for a magnetic pickup they use to set timing at the factory. Just what I've read / heard somewhere.