All Small Six Timing issues on 200 after rebuild

[ncpe2001]

Hi Fordsix community. I have rebuilt my 66 200 with a Clay Smith H-264-8-B cam, 108 degree ctr lobe, and a DUI distributor. The cam profile card indicates to degree the cam to 106 for best performance. When I degreed it with no timing adjustment it was 104 so I retarded 2 degrees to 106. The engine runs, but will not run anywhere in the range of the degree markings on the timing cover. I believe the last mark is 14 degrees BTC. The timing light puts the mark on the harmonic balancer at the 12 o clock position of the balancer for the engine to run best. Where am I off?

 

[frozenrabbit]

Did you replace the harmonic balancer? Sounds like a slipped balancer. The pulley groove can slip on an old balancer, making the timing mark out of position.

 

[ncpe2001]

Did you replace the harmonic balancer? Sounds like a slipped balancer. The pulley groove can slip on an old balancer, making the timing mark out of position.

Should the mark be aligned with the key groove? Pretty sure I checked this.

 

[frozenrabbit]

Best I can measure, timing mark is 12 degrees behind the keyway, rotating clock wise. Internets photo checked to 200 balancer I've got in the shop.
Slipped pulley will give a higher timing reading.

 

[wsa111]

Hi Fordsix community. I have rebuilt my 66 200 with a Clay Smith H-264-8-B cam, 108 degree ctr lobe, and a DUI distributor. The cam profile card indicates to degree the cam to 106 for best performance. When I degreed it with no timing adjustment it was 104 so I retarded 2 degrees to 106. The engine runs, but will not run anywhere in the range of the degree markings on the timing cover. I believe the last mark is 14 degrees BTC. The timing light puts the mark on the harmonic balancer at the 12 o clock position of the balancer for the engine to run best. Where am I off?

Your 108 L/C is killing your idle. Why did you pick the 108 L/C? That cam idles rough even with a 112 L/C . The DUI is not even curved for your engine?
The fix, go with the 110-112 L/C cam & have me recurve your DUI.

 

[drag-200stang]

If this car is a stick put a 3.50 or 3.80 gear, set the idle at 800 rpm, get a dist recurve and drive it like you stole it.. On the other hand I don't know, I thought it worked ok for me.

 

[ncpe2001]

Best I can measure, timing mark is 12 degrees behind the keyway, rotating clock wise. Internets photo checked to 200 balancer I've got in the shop.
Slipped pulley will give a higher timing reading.

Interesting, thanks for the info. I'll shop around for a replacement.

 

[pmuller9]

Interesting, thanks for the info. I'll shop around for a replacement.

Just take a few minutes and possibly save yourself some time and money.

Remove #1 spark plug and bring the piston to TDC as best as you can by feel by using a screw driver or something similar.
Then see where the mark on the balancer is in relation to the marks on the timing cover.

 

[Slickster]

Time it with a vacuum gauge, turn dist slowly until you get highest reading, then retard 1 1/2 inches...then check with light

 

[ncpe2001]

Refreshing this thread, I bought a new harmonic balancer thinking the balancer slipped. It wasn't that, the marks and the key hole on both match. Could this be a botched cam or botched DUI distributor?

 

[pmuller9]

Refreshing this thread, I bought a new harmonic balancer thinking the balancer slipped. It wasn't that, the marks and the key hole on both match. Could this be a botched cam or botched DUI distributor?

No! The timing mark on the balancer is strictly between the relationship of the piston position to the timing marks on the timing cover only.
When the piston is at TDC, the timing mark on the balancer must line up with the TDC mark on the timing cover.

To do a check:
Remove #1 spark plug and bring the piston to TDC as best as you can by feel by using a screw driver or something similar.
Then see where the mark on the balancer is in relation to the marks on the timing cover.

Until you do this check you cannot move on to something else as the problem

 

[ncpe2001]

Alignment of the mark on the balancer to the TDC mark on the Timing cover confirmed using a dial wheel and piston stop. I suspect something jacked with the Clay Smith cam or the DUI distributor that's requires the timing to be so retarded. Thoughts?

 

[pmuller9]

You can always go back and check the cam's intake and exhaust duration along with lobe lift just to be sure you have the correct cam
There was one case here where the Clay Smith cam was the wrong one and was so far off the engine wouldn't run.

I'm sure you checked to see if the mechanical advance in the distributor is working while you had the timing light on the engine.

Do a compression test.
It will tell you a lot about the valve train.