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Making new timing mark on balancer

85mudblazin

85mudblazin

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I have always timed the truck by ear since I have a 12:00 balancer mark with a 2:00 tab.
But I got to thinking, why cant I just put it a TDC and draw a new mark onto the balancer to use the 2:00 timing tab??
 
Yes sir.
what you need is a postive piston stop. i think summit carries one that you can screw in the head where the spark plug goes.
Then you carefully spin over the engine until it stops.
Scribe a mark at your timing pointer. (or at 0)
Then carefully spin the engine over the other way until it comes to a stop again. scribe another mark.
Split the difference. (1/2 way in between your two scribe marks is EXACT TDC.)

happy new year. :wink1:
 
I have the heads off so it will be real easy to see TDC.
Mark the timing pointer or balancer. Spin it to TDC and make mark on balancer. Spin the other way to TDC and mark again on balancer. Then split the difference?
 
Yes,
you will either need a positive piston stop, or a dial indicator. then split the difference.
You cannot just eyeball where TDC is.
 
Ryan B. said:
Yes,
you will either need a positive piston stop, or a dial indicator. then split the difference.
You cannot just eyeball where TDC is.
Click to expand...
Got it, thanks.
 
No prob.

Not to confuse you but if you use the dial indicator method you could just find the highest reading...
but to be more accurate.. say for example if the highest reading you get on the dial indicator is .650", mark the point on the balancer at .600" before and .600" after TDC and split the difference. :thumb:

If you understand this, you can degree in a cam. :D
 
He could even by a stick on tape once he finds it , with more degrees than a stock one , and would be better than a homemade mark .
 
Probably a good idea if you don't have an adjustable timing light.

The only engine i have that requires the timing to be set, (Gen IV BBC)...
I just have a pointer, and a mark for TRUE TDC on the balancer.
Thats it.
I use an adjustable timing light, adjusting it until the mark on the balancer lines up with the pointer.. Then the timing light tells you how many degrees your at.
:wink1:
 
I already got the heads back on so it looks like the piston stop would be the best method. But after looking at them it looks like all of them are adjustable, so how do you know when its exactly TDC??

Also whats the point of spliting the difference?
On a truck with the correct balancer and tab, when the balancer line is at 0* on the tab isnt it at TDC??
 
In theory it should be, but if you are building a high performance engine, or have stroked it, etc. It could be a degree or two off.
My big block is just a hair maybe a degree off from the stock mark on the balancer in relation to where my aftermarket pointer is.
Marking say .050" down in the hole on either side of TDC and splitting the difference will get you EXACT.
These are just a few tips i've learned building a race engine.

Adjustable, as in you can adjust the depth the piston stop screws into the spark plug hole?
You know it is at Exactly TDC by the method i described in an earlier post...
Spin over the engine very carefully until it stops on the piston stop. scribe a mark on the balancer. Now spin the engine over the other way until it stops. scribe a mark.
Exactly half way between those marks is EXACT TDC.
 
if you've got the heads off, why not remove the timing chain cover and replace it with one with a matching timing mark? eliminate all the guesswork. :dunno:
 
beater_k20 said:
if you've got the heads off, why not remove the timing chain cover and replace it with one with a matching timing mark? eliminate all the guesswork. :dunno:
Click to expand...
Because I would have to pull the whole front of the engine off, radiator/fans which I really dont want to do.
Would be easier to just replace the balancer which I will probably end up doing.

The heads are already back on so im just going to time it by ear or with the vacuum guage.
 
Ryan B. said:
In theory it should be, but if you are building a high performance engine, or have stroked it, etc. It could be a degree or two off.
My big block is just a hair maybe a degree off from the stock mark on the balancer in relation to where my aftermarket pointer is.
Marking say .050" down in the hole on either side of TDC and splitting the difference will get you EXACT.
These are just a few tips i've learned building a race engine.


Adjustable, as in you can adjust the depth the piston stop screws into the spark plug hole?
You know it is at Exactly TDC by the method i described in an earlier post...
Spin over the engine very carefully until it stops on the piston stop. scribe a mark on the balancer. Now spin the engine over the other way until it stops. scribe a mark.
Exactly half way between those marks is EXACT TDC.
Click to expand...
OOO I get it now, I was way off:doah:
Yea that sounds simple I can make one from a old spark plug.
Thanks for the help
 
85mudblazin said:
The heads are already back on so im just going to time it by ear or with the vacuum guage.
Click to expand...

Wow, dude, so your not going to do any of this? :doah: Its really not that big of a deal to do with the piston stop method.
 
76zimmer said:
Wow, dude, so your not going to do any of this? :doah: Its really not that big of a deal to do with the piston stop method.
Click to expand...
For some reason i read threads backwards so I read beater's post first. But after reading Ryan's im going to make my own pistion stop out of a old spark plug.

Chill out dude:D
 
its less than 25 bolts to get it off, with more than half of them being on the cover itself. 4 on the fan, 4 on the pump, one for the balancer, and whatever the cover has in it. if something is worth doing, its worth doing right. it'll make it SO much easier to retime it later too.
 
beater_k20 said:
its less than 25 bolts to get it off, with more than half of them being on the cover itself. 4 on the fan, 4 on the pump, one for the balancer, and whatever the cover has in it. if something is worth doing, its worth doing right. it'll make it SO much easier to retime it later too.
Click to expand...
Why when I can spend $7 for a piston stop and be done in about 10 minutes?
Where as I would have to spend money for anti-freeze, gaskets, and a new cover. Not to mention the time and mess that comes with pulling all of that off.

And how is it going to make it easier to time? I can see the 2:00 tab 10x better then where the 12:00 one would be.
Not to mention the new mark would be very accurate.
 
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