1954 1955 valve timing 331 engine

["Cadillac Kid" Greg Surfas 15364]

Phil,
Another thought.  Does your car have the timing mark on the damper rim, and if so has the damper been rebuilt?
If the damper was rebuild, and the timing mark is on the rim of the damper, it is possible that if the damper could go back together in more than one position, it has.
Had that happen on my 66.  Fortunately I spotted it before I put it back together, or that would have diriven me bonkers.
I believe that in one of your earlier posts you indicated that the timing had actually (according to the timing light) changed.  I am curious about yourd damper and the timing mark itself.
Let us know
Greg

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

I didn't have the damper rebuilt, although this engine was a donor engine [ my original had badly repaired cracks all over it] , so it could have been done [wrong] before. I did have the engine balanced, which involved drilling metal out of the damper, but this wouldn't have affected it's mounting position. Next step is checking the valve timing with a degree disc - I'll keep you all informed on the progress.
Thanks,
Phil

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Hi everybody,
I am resurecting this very old posting of mine as I have finally got round to sorting out why my valve timing was out. I had a number of nagging problems with this car after a thorough restoration and have left it parked up in my garage for a few years. I finally got the incentive to sort these out last year and I am carrying on working through them. This one is so simple that I am embarrassed about the cure - this shows that my own theory of looking for the easiest solution first is right, but I ignored it !!! The reason for the valve timing being out wasn't the wrong camshaft or 1955 cam gear in my 1954, vacuum leaks etc. etc. it was..............
THE DISTRIBUTOR WAS 180 DEGREES OUT !!!!!!!!
The car will run like this, firing on No 6 first [this piston is at TDC at the same time as No1]. I'm guessing that it was underpowered as it didn't fire when the pistons were at full compression stroke. I take the embarrasment on the chin so no other fool like me makes the same mistake !!!!
Phil

[Dave Shepherd]

You should confirm the tdc mark on the damper number first, if the cam was a tooth off the performance would suffer regardless of timing.  Pull no.1 plug, use a rod or some device to get the piston as close to tdc as possible and look at the timing marks, the damper could have slipped.

[Philippe M. Ruel]

If your distributor is 180 degrees out, each spark plug will fire with exhaust valve open and no more fuel in corresponding cylinder, the engine will probably not run AT ALL.

The simple checking procedure I use is :

- remove valve covers. That's all you have to remove in this procedure, apart air filter, distributor cap and - as usual - battery negative wire.
- hand turn the engine (socket on damper central nut) until valves on #6 cylinder are both hardly opened (exhaust valve finishing to close, intake valve starting to open). At this point, piston #6 is very close to TDC end of exhaust. The firing order being 1-8-4-3-6-5-7-2, the "opposite" piston in firing order, which is #1 , is 360° ahead, close to TDC end of compression. The mark on damper should read close to zero, and distributor rotor should point to #1 plug wire.
- hand turn the engine in normal rotation direction, 1/4 turn each time. At each 1/4 turn, you should see the "both-valves-hardly-opened" condition successively on all cylinders in firing order. Check each 1/4 turn that rocker arms on "opposite" cylinder may move a bit freely.
- check that all valves lift about the same amount, and close completely. Else, pushrod or valve stem is bent, or lifter is stuck or leaking, or cam on camshaft is round.
- If valve order doesn't match firing order , either your engine has a wrong camshaft (unlikely on a Cad. But don't smile, I once checked a Mustang, stuck for 2 years because owner put a 351 camshaft in its 302 engine... it fits !), or someone has put a 350 Chevy engine in your car during the night or you misuse cylinder numbering, remember LH means driver's side on US cars, which may be confusing in the UK (kidding).

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Thanks, but I have to tell you that this engine did run and the distributor was 180 degrees out. If you look in the manual it tells you to check the timing after setting on number six plug with the strobe - number six fires opposite to number one. So, using the timing marks on the harmonic balancer it is possible to set the distributor up this way, I then retimed using a vacuum gauge and it ran better, but still badly [no surprise there really !]. I have now marked the flywheel so there is a mark visible through the Hydramatic torus cover inspection plate - as long as this mark is visible, then I know that the timing mark at the harmonic balancer is in the correct position for number one piston.
Phil   

[Dave Shepherd]

I scribe a mark on the outer edge of the balancer to the inner hub to monitor slippage, although that may not be as visible, it may be more accurate.