Timing Pinto Engine

[Guest pixie clarke]

Hi all

Help need in timing a pinto, please be gentle as I have never done this before.

I have got to the point where i need to make sure the engine is running (as i brought a part built, and stripped and started again) so now only just at the stage of testing the engine.

 

Right here goes

I need to make sure the engine is timed correctly, so the top pulley (Cam Pulley?) has a triangle on it and I see a dot on the engine so when I line these up, the bottom pulley (crank Pulley?) is not aligned with the marks on it to the mark on the engine, and if i align the bottom up the top is nowhere near, but when the top is aligned piston one looks right at the top.

As i have never done this before I take it, i need to make these too points match together first before i do anything else?

Only as I’ve have had conflicting advice on this

Can any help me in simple terms

Will get to the dizzy later

 

I have some pic’s

PIC01 is the cam pulley where i believe it should be ? but bottom one is not aligned

PIC02 is bottom pulley aligned and then top is way out

PIC03 is showing top position when bottom is aligned

 

Hope i have explained this OK

Your help will be much appreciated

Paul

[Guest rich44]

if it ant help i`ll have a look in my cam belt book at work today and see what it has to say

[Thrashed]

Hi Paul.

 

I had loads of issues getting mine started, mostly because it did not know what I was doing. Have a look at the post below as I had a lot of help that might be able to point you in the right direction.

 

Cheers

 

Steve

 

 

http://www.rhocar.org/index.php?showforum=6

 

If this does not work have a look at my posts and it is called 'help'

[Guest Noddy006]

Hi Paul.

I'm no mechanic myself but I did following (others more knowledgeable will come along to give further advice) - With the belt off turn the cam pulley so that it lines up with the marks you have. Then turn the crank so that the crank mark is about 8-12 degrees before the top dead centre mark on the pulley. When these are lined up properly put the belt on and tension. Try turning the engine over by hand to make sure nothing is wrong and that the marks stay alligned. I then went for a try and all was O.K. with the engine running you will need to do timing more accurately. Best of luck Ian H

[steve_wilson]

cam pulley has to have the dot aligned with the triangle part of the pulley

one of the lines on the crank pulley (second one in from left in your pic) is TDC iirc. i have pictures at home that will explain it better

get it all lined up, put the belt on, tension it and then have a look at the dizzy.

the rotor arm should be pointing at a small line on the casing, when you have the cap on the lead should go to cylinder 1.

firing sequence is 1 3 4 2 and the rotor arm spins clockwise.

 

might be wrong on some of the minor details but thats how i used to do mine

[maca]

Hi I found details as below that agent_zed posted in 2009 hope this will help you.

Regards maca

 

hi,

hopefully got this right but turn the engine to TDC should be the big groove in the crank pulley align with the pointy bit top left when facing the engine. the cam shaft should then have a pointer which is inline with a dot on the engine behind. Take the dizzy cap off and note where that is pointing.

 

undo the crank bolt to take the pulley off. loosen the tensioner and remove the belt. put the new one on. Make sure that the belt is tight between the cam and the bottom pulley on the left. If you put it all tight on the right when you tension up it will take up the slack on the left and change the position of the cam/crank.

 

Tighten up the tensioner so that the belt in just tight enough that you can twist it 90 degrees with your finger and thumb but no further.

 

To be on the safe side you could just mark everything with tipex so if the worst comes to the worst you know where everything goes.

 

If the standard pinto is the same as the transit 2lt pinto then its not too bad if you mess it up as the pistons miss the valves as we found out when a cam belt snapped on us.

 

Although it would be good practice to turn the engine round by hand to ensure that nothing is wrong before starting.

 

hopefully thats how others do it.

[megadodo]

TDC mark on the cam should be lined up with the dot on the head and the crank TDC mark should be lined up with the pointer on the block NOT any of the other marks on the crank pulley, they are used for timing the distibutor only. Once the belt is tensioned check that the marks still line up, as long as you put a little bit of tension of the straight run of the belt when the two pulleys are lined up you should be OK first time.

HTH

If I read your post pictures correctly, your cam is NOT aligned to the crank properly as I'm sure the cam pulley marks are in a vertical plane.

[richyb66]

 

 

Ignore B in the first picture for setting the belt tension. Just tension the belt so that it cam just be twisted 90 degrees by hand at the mid-point (where the Ford setting tool is shown) and that will be ok.

 

Once everything is set up as shown in A - the rotor arm needs to be pointing towards the terminal on the distributor cap that will be plug lead 1 and then the firing order is 1 3 4 2 going clockwise. this should be close enough to at least get it running.

 

If you don't lock the distributor clamp down tightly, you can get an assistant to slightly rotate the dizzy anti-clockwise as you crank the engine to get it going.

 

Ideally Number 1 plug lead should be positioned nearest the timing cover (so that the position of number 1 is known) but in practice it's not that important and the leads will be still long enough to reach the plugs.

[megadodo]

A picture paints a thousand words!

[Guest garyfelton]

Hi Paul,

 

I live in Bayston Hill so not very far away and am willing to come and help if required. I also have a Haynes manual if you would like to borrow it give me a shout.

 

Gary

[Guest pixie clarke]

All

 

Many Thanks for all the replies your knowledge is much appreciated,

I will now give this ago over the extended weekend

Again thank you all for the replies,

I will keep you all posted on how it goes

 

Gary

If I’m still having issues after the weekend I might take you up on your offer.

I make a great cup of tea

 

Paul

[Guest pixie clarke]

Just to say a big thank you to you all, “She started” it was fantastic felling to here

 

This might sound a bit funning but my heart is still racing with excitement

She's is bit lumpy and couldn’t tick over without throttle, but she started

 

Thanks again

Paul

[Guest AWhite]

You need a timing gun now to set the required advance. Nice job on getting it started.

 

Andy