1950s Timing on 1950 cadillac

[Daffer]

Im hopping to get my car started this week since it will be nice, I've never set the timing before so Im curious as to how. I have the shop manual and it give good directions but it only says to "rotate the Distributor so the light flashes as pointer and line A are opposite of each other" no degrees or anything hopping someone can kinda explain a little better how exactly to time this car? I've seen videos but they all seem to know the degree. I'm not sure when degrees come to play with this. Do i just set it so when the light flashes when line "A" is opposite the pointer like in the photo bellow?? It sound obvious but also doesn't because again when do degrees come into play? Please help with any knowledge. Thank you!

[Jay Friedman]

Don't be concerned about the degrees.  A 1950 engine's initial timing is set when the pointer is on the A mark, which I think is 5 degrees before TDC. 

On my '49 I hook up the timing light to either the number 1 or the number 6 cylinder (3rd one back on the passenger's side). Loosen the distributor clamp to the point that the distributor body can be rotated with some resistance and is still snugly clamped down. (The vacuum advance, of course, should be pointed toward the passenger's side of the car; roughly at the "9 o'clock" position.)

Detach the metal vacuum line from the vacuum advance and put a rubber plug in the line so there is no vacuum leak. Start the motor and let it warm up a bit. Point the timing light toward the crankshaft pulley and turn the distributor body until the A mark lines up with the pointer.  Tighten the clamp bolt.  After tightening, double-check that the pointer and the A mark are still lined up since tightening the clamp bolt will sometimes change it a bit.  Remove the rubber plug, hook up the metal vacuum line and you are done.   

[Daffer]

Don't be concerned about the degrees.  A 1950 engine's initial timing is set when the pointer is on the A mark, which I think is 5 degrees before TDC. 

On my '49 I hook up the timing light to either the number 1 or the number 6 cylinder (3rd one back on the passenger's side). Loosen the distributor clamp to the point that the distributor body can be rotated with some resistance and is still snugly clamped down. (The vacuum advance, of course, should be pointed toward the passenger's side of the car; roughly at the "9 o'clock" position.)

Detach the metal vacuum line from the vacuum advance and put a rubber plug in the line so there is no vacuum leak. Start the motor and let it warm up a bit. Point the timing light toward the crankshaft pulley and turn the distributor body until the A mark lines up with the pointer.  Tighten the clamp bolt.  After tightening double-check that the pointer and the A mark are still lined up since tightening the clamp bolt will sometimes change it a bit.  Remove the rubber plug, hook up the metal vacuum line and you are done.   

Dude your the best! Thank you so much this saves me such a headache! You explained it so well! Do you have a recommendation for a timing light?

[Lexi]

Further to Jay's comments, sometimes the timing marks are difficult to see depending on lighting conditions and how deeply they are imprinted. You may want to take a colored marker and highlight them so once the engine is running the marks will stand out more clearly when the timing light is strobing on them. Clay/Lexi

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

Reading the Factory description, this is the first time that I have ever heard of anyone using the opposite side of the Distributor for using a Timing Light.   Always has been No. 1.

Bruce.

[Lexi]

Me to. Never heard of that before. Wonder if in some cases it was a 6 volt thing? Clay/Lexi

[Lexi]

Dude your the best! Thank you so much this saves me such a headache! You explained it so well! Do you have a recommendation for a timing light?

Daffer, don't know much about new Timing Lights, but the old ones seemed to last forever. I got one (All Pro?) that I bought 50 years ago and still going strong. A later one, which I think is still made, Sun Pro, is in my opinion good. Some of the cheaper ones clipped onto the #1 spark plug then you put the HT wire on top of it. In the attached image of my Sun Pro, there is a clip that goes over the wire instead. Probably a better system. I can provide the instruction manual in case you decide to hunt for a good used one. Clay/Lexi

[Daffer]

Further to Jay's comments, sometimes the timing marks are difficult to see depending on lighting conditions and how deeply they are imprinted. You may want to take a colored marker and highlight them so once the engine is running the marks will stand out more clearly when the timing light is strobing on them. Clay/Lexi

Daffer, don't know much about new Timing Lights, but the old ones seemed to last forever. I got one (All Pro?) that I bought 50 years ago and still going strong. A later one, which I think is still made, Sun Pro, is in my opinion good. Some of the cheaper ones clipped onto the #1 spark plug then you put the HT wire on top of it. In the attached image of my Sun Pro, there is a clip that goes over the wire instead. Probably a better system. I can provide the instruction manual in case you decide to hunt for a good used one. Clay/Lexi

Luckily the marks are super visible after having cleaned and repainted the engine. Thank you for that photo I've been looking at buying one that looks identical to your timing light, definitely gonna go with it now. I appreciate all the help from everyone here!! Ill post an update to let everyone know how it goes probably thus week. Thank you all again if I have any questions I know where to go lol

[Lexi]

We are here to please! Us Cadillac nuts have to stick together. Welcome to the Forum. Clay/Lexi

[Jay Friedman]

Further to Jay's comments, sometimes the timing marks are difficult to see depending on lighting conditions and how deeply they are imprinted. You may want to take a colored marker and highlight them so once the engine is running the marks will stand out more clearly when the timing light is strobing on them. Clay/Lexi

Good advice from Clay/Lexi.

Reading the Factory description, this is the first time that I have ever heard of anyone using the opposite side of the Distributor for using a Timing Light.   Always has been No. 1.
Bruce.

The firing order on these motors is 1843 6572, and the crankshaft is turning twice as fast as the camshaft which drives the distributor.  So as the timing light flashes when either the 1 or the 6 fires it will light up the timing mark at the right moment.  (I think I got that right.) 

[Jay Friedman]

.....Do you have a recommendation for a timing light?

I have a Snap On timing light I bought second hand on ebay a few years ago.

[Lexi]

I agree. Can't go wrong with Snap On either. That timing information from Jay is interesting. Never knew that. Clay/Lexi

[The Tassie Devil(le)]

The firing order on these motors is 1843 6572, and the crankshaft is turning twice as fast as the camshaft which drives the distributor.  So as the timing light flashes when either the 1 or the 6 fires it will light up the timing mark at the right moment.  (I think I got that right.) 

I am aware of that, but never ever saw it mentioned in any Service Manuals that one should use the No. 6 as a Timing reference.

Bruce.

[PHIL WHYTE CLC 14192]

Luckily the marks are super visible after having cleaned and repainted the engine. Thank you for that photo I've been looking at buying one that looks identical to your timing light, definitely gonna go with it now. I appreciate all the help from everyone here!! Ill post an update to let everyone know how it goes probably thus week. Thank you all again if I have any questions I know where to go lol

Good advice from Clay/Lexi.

The firing order on these motors is 1843 6572, and the crankshaft is turning twice as fast as the camshaft which drives the distributor.  So as the timing light flashes when either the 1 or the 6 fires it will light up the timing mark at the right moment.  (I think I got that right.) 

I've used no.6 after timing on no.1 just to double check. The other thing I do when a distributor has been removed is line up the timing marks, put a light across the points and turn the distributor until the light just goes out, when the points open. Ie. Static timing. Then fine tune it with the timing light.
Phil

[Jay Friedman]

I am aware of that, but never ever saw it mentioned in any Service Manuals that one should use the No. 6 as a Timing reference.

Bruce.

Bruce, in the 1949 shop manual (Page 101) it says you can use the number 1 or the number 6. That is where I learned you can use the number 6 for timing.   

[Jon S]

I used to use a timing light and set the timing 2 - 3 degrees more advanced than the A mark. Last time I timed it I used a vacuum gauge, plugged the vacuum advance and set the timing for maximum vacuum then backed it off 2 degrees. I found this process to provide optimum timing.

[Brad Ipsen CLC #737]

The benefits of using #6 is the timing light wires are not tangled up.  Get power down at the starter and #6 plug and timing mark are all on the right side of the engine.