Thread: Timing on rover V8

Sounds like there is something has skipped a tooth somewhere. 22 degrees is about 1/16 of a full rotation. Definitely suss!

BTW, how are you measuring the advance since you'd be off the scale on the pulley?

Really just estimating. I measured from 0 to 12 degrees and I was just under double that.

I was thinking also that it is roughly the degree of 1 tooth but I have no idea what is going on. I think I will take it down to the "ignition shop" and get them to check it and rebuild if necessary. It is running a "Luminition" electronic ignition system so I am wondering if that is stuffed up somewhere.

Have you actually checked the position of TDC vs the TDC mark on the pulley????
My first guess would be that is the problem.
I saw this recently and thought it was a cool idea.
Stuff some string into no 1 cylinder through the plugol.. I recommend string that will not break.
Turn the engine to push the piston up against the string. you may have to do it a few time s to compress it and get a consistent reading.
Then turn the engine backwards until the piston stops in the other direction.
Hopefully you have marked the first place on the harmonic balancer that it stopped. Mark the second place and midway between is TDC. Voila!!

I doubt that the engine would run consistently at 50% advance 24+30 as the rotor would probably not be to the contact in the dizzy then.
regards Philip A

I did check TDC with a dial guage into #1 cylinder and it matched up perfect with the mark on the pulley.

IsThe distributor advancing and retarding as you rev the engine?? Have you checked with a timing light by revving to say 3000 and then back to idle?
I would think any engine would spit back on the starter with that much advance.
Once it happened to me that the mechanical advance was sticking on a Vdub I had. When I timed it it was Ok then it would advance up but not retard straight away and I would check the timing and it was 20plus. Sure this isn't what happened . Whack some oil down the spindle and check that the advance is moving freely.
regards Philip A

<span style="color:blue">i wouldnt go spinning any engine backwards.....

they dont like it.....it rips ***** out of the timing chain tensioners.....


did you have the vaccuum advance disconnected when you adjusted the timing....?
do you know if both the mechanical and the vaccuum advance work....?

if your dizzy is out by one tooth its simply a matter of remove and refit in the correct
position....for best performance.....advance the timing out on the raod...
advance it till it pings then back it off a few degrees......
they used to always like running advanced....but you will lose a bit of low
down torque....
do you do more on road or off road driving.....?</span>

Wow lots of questions there.

Phillip - With Vac advance disconnected, it does advance about 1/4 of a pulley when revved and it seems to come back to normal as the motor goes back to idle.


Yes I had vac advance disconnected when timing.

Moving the dizzy up or down a tooth does not change the actual degree it is advanced, only the position of the distributor. Which tooth you go in is usually determined by the vac advance mechanism as it limits rotation of the distributor. I have played around with different postitions.

I did advance it till it pinged, then backed it off about 4 degrees. It is now running ok but according to the pulley it is at 22 degrees BTDC. I could just say "stuff it" and leave it as it is (this is what I did with old motor) but with the new motor and all I would like to work out the problem.

It is a dedicated offroader, only driven a couple of times a month.