Setting the dizzy?

[aigel]

Don't worry about hurting anything by revving your engine to 6k rpm. It can withstand that easily for 10s of seconds at a time.

Just look at the tach on the dash by positioning yourself so you can peek through the gap between the open rear decklid and the body of the car. Hold it at 6k rpm and then look at the timing marks.

If you can't find a good line-of-sight from your timing position to the tach, ask a family member or friend to sit in the car for you and push the gas pedal to get it to 6k rpm. Make sure they go rev up slowly, not to over-rev it (in case your limiter is not working).

Good Luck!

George

[flash951]

Today I've tried to set the dizzy, I rev it to it stopped advancing, I got it clos to 30 degrees, but it wasn't room to rotate it more. When driving afterwords, the car went no good. I't seems more noisy (kind of like hole in exhaust) and weak. I've tried to set the advance back a bit, close to where it was, but still no good.

[Walter_Middie]

As previously said by Aigel:

If the distributor does 5 degrees idle but not 35 or close to it at 6000, you will need to check it and / or get it recurved.

I'd reset the idle timing back to where you started so that the car runs good again. You may have issues with the advance mechanism being dirty or rusty and not working as needed.

Once you set the timing back to where you had it, report back here:

What is the idle timing set to?

What is the timing advance stopping at with high RPM?

For 1975 2.7L:
At idle (900 RPM) advance=5 deg ATDC with vacuum hose connected.
At 6,000 RPM advance = 32 to 38 deg BTDC with vacuum hose disconnected.

[tuchan]

Originally Posted by flash951

Points and a gap to set? Please explain, new terms for me.

Have you done this yet?

If your distributor is equipped with points then this needs to be done prior to setting the timing with a light.

[E Sully]

This link shows what is in your dizzy if you are interested. It should be a 0231 184 xxx as shown in the second half of the post.
Distributor Maintenance

[flash951]

I can hear a clicking sound from my dizzy, I check the gap size at the point, I think I only have one point, that correct? What should the gap be, 0.4 mm as normal cars?

[tuchan]

One set of points and .35mm.

[flash951]

It seems that two small parts of the plastic rotor on the distributor has broken off, circle 1 in the picture. Circle 2, seems that there has been some "scratching" on the outside of the rotor in this area.

Is this sign of something? Is this bad?

[steve911T]

I guess the major question is. did you remove the distributor? I am assuming that you did not. If you had, you had to replace the distributor in the exact position that it was previously. To check, turn the crankshaft via the alternator bolt clockwise to TDC and make sure that that the rotor lines up with the line (indentation) on the body of the distributor. That will put you in the range. In that position, turn the distributor with the ignition on until you hear a click and that should have set the distributor at 0 degrees. I would then go from there. The correct timing position will be less than a 1/4 of an inch or around 5 degrees at idle. Rev it up and as a previous post mentioned, the advance will only advance so much, around 5k rpm and you got it. I would also recommend a dwell meter to set the points. Not too sure what your setting is, but mine is around 37. Good luck.

[aigel]

Not sure about the broken piece, but the contact area dragging on the cap like that means that you either had the cap on crooked or that the shaft of the dist. is wobbling.

G

[flash951]

Originally Posted by flash951

Today I've tried to set the dizzy, I rev it to it stopped advancing, I got it clos to 30 degrees, but it wasn't room to rotate it more. When driving afterwords, the car went no good. It seems more noisy (kind of like hole in exhaust) and weak. I've tried to set the advance back a bit, close to where it was, but still no good.

I have now measured the dwell angel and set the points gap. The engine sounds and runs perfect with no load, but when driving and accelerate, it's noisy (sounds kind of like a tractor) and runs poorly, less power. This occurred after I've adjusted the distributor initially. Before I've touched it, the engine was running perfectly, but the timing was way to retarded and made the engine very hot.

A strange thing, when adjusting the timing more retarded, I can hear a "click-clock" sound from the distributor, when advancing the timing, the strange sound goes away.

What could be wrong? The distributor needs rebuild? One of the spark plugs are faulty? The carburetors gives to much fuel after adjusting the timing (should not have impact after 3000 rpm?) Chain tensioner has failed? The coil has failed? Someone have a clue?

[steve911T]

Bryan, did you remove the distributor? Sound like you might have the distributor one tooth off from where it is supposed to be. If you did and would like me to send you a picture of my 70 t with on TDC and you can see where the rotor and distributor should be in relation to the fan housing, etc. Steve

[flash951]

I did not remove the distributor, but soemthing is wrong. Please send me the pic. thanks a lot

[steve911T]

When setting the points, and I have been doing it on and off for 25 years, I still need a dwell meter to get it on the money. I am assuming that you have the dwell meter. If you did not remove the distributor, that must have been quite a job getting it close. I will send the pic tomorrow. I have a Bosch in my car, not a Marelli, can't tell what you have. Steve

[flash951]

I used a dwell meter. My dwell angel was way to much, about 55 deg (my gap to small), I've adjusted it to about 35 deg. I used two attempts. First one I put about 0.35 mm gap and got 20 deg. Second I tried little more than 0.3 mm and got 35 deg.

[flash951]

Problem still the same as before, but the car runs and sounds good without load.

[mobius911]

Given the pieces missing on your rotor, you may want to try swapping in a new rotor and cap. I've had issues with them before. At one point I even used a rotor without the rev-limiting spring just to eliminate another variable.

Is the vacuum hooked up properly? Is it working (not plugged, you can feel the vacuum)? Can you freely rotate the rotor through its range and does it spring back to its default position?

[flash951]

I had the vacuum hooked up, now I have plugged the vacuum as its only retards the timing at idle to get better emissions. I can freely rotate the rotor and it springs back.

[E Sully]

Does the distributor move sideways in the direction of the orange arrows? This would mean play in the shaft bushing.
When suction is applied to the vacuum uunit, the plate should move in the direction of the yellow arrow.

[Walter_Middie]

when driving and accelerate, it's noisy (sounds kind of like a tractor) and runs poorly, less power. This occurred after I've adjusted the distributor initially. Before I've touched it, the engine was running perfectly, but the timing was way to retarded and made the engine very hot.

Remi,

The tractor sound is pinging - this is very hard on the engine and is caused by too much advance. You are somehow setting it incorrectly. Set it at idle again - back to where you thought it was too retarded - and see if it drives OK.

You say it was way too retarded earlier - what makes you think that? What was the idle timing set to?

The ticking sound coming from the distributor could be the rotor hitting the inside of the distributor cap and chipping the rotor as your picture shows. Are you sure you have the rotor pushed down all the way on the shaft? Personally, I don't like the RPM limiting rotors and use just a regular rotor - but that one should work just fine.