Help! I really wanna get the timing dialed in on this thing. Is there a way to get the light back to 2 o'clock (different plug wire, etc)? Question 2: Why is the engine lining up at TDC teh way it should at 2, but the light is still firing at noon?ĭoes anyone know that specific measurement? Is it b/s that there is a set measurement? Question 1: some have said 2.5, some 2 and 11/16? Is there a standard measurement back from original damper slot? Yet, start it up and throw a light on it and the light flash/balancer slot can be seen way up at 12 noon? I am hoping that there are some SBC gurus out there who can verify.Īgain, when I pull the plug one 1, I find TDC, the balancer slit at the 2 o'clock location (all as it should be). Others suggest making a piston stop, finding TDC, and then painting a new line or drill bit dimple with a dab of white paint. Several people online suggest that there is a measurement of 2.5 inches back from the original balancer groove that will get me to the 2 o'clock location. No vibrations and the engine fires and runs pretty damn well with just ear timing. I read around online and it seems Chevy made several balancers and several tabs. Now, I would place a 12 o'clock timing tab on the engine, but they are not avail aftermarket that I can find and most importantly, I just can't see the damn light there since I have the short water pump pressed against the timing cover. There were two keyway slots, so after I meshed the gear drive, I lined the balancer groove and timing tab (attached in the traditional location, 2 o'clock ) and all lines up perfectly.Īnyways, When I fire the car (runs okay with ear timing but wanna dial it in), the timing light is reading up at 12 noon on the block. When I put the engine back together (cam, new lifters new rockers, yada, yada) it didn't come with a balancer, so I bought a 6.75 for 60 bucks. The dist is an electronic ignition, small-body, with an external coil on the firewall (Chinese special from Slea-bay that had created some fun conversations on this very site!). The engine also sports a 60s style re-pop of the finned shorty water pump with a Milodon style aluminum timing cover beneath that. I placed a little bit of a cam in the engine (slightly bigger than a thumper, numbers-wise/can't remember now since I put the engine together last winter). New small block Chevy crate engine, 350 long-block.

Sbc timing cover differences