i hope this isnt a stoopid question...

[Jonnyuma]

Is there a quick, eyeballs-only way to check a small block (360) damper to see if it's moved? mine has several (i think 3, maybe 4) hash marks on it and I'm starting to wonderr if its spun some and either that, or I'm using the wrong mark. It seems like I've always had trouble getting this thing to hold it's tune, and since I don't really mind the tinkering it wasn't too much trouble to get out the timing light and mess with it for awhile before I'd take 'er out for a beatin'. Don't mind tinkering, but I'd really rather not un-*** the whole accessory drive to check the balancer. Plus, a new balancer is hardly in the budget right now. That said, if anyone has a good used one they'd like to part with...

 

[Red63440]

The hub may be slipping which would explain the movement....the only stupid question is one that isn't asked.

 

[greenmonsta79]

Well I had one once that had moved and you could see the rubber was smooshed out the side, plus it had a noticeble vibration when engine was going through the powerband, most the time they just fling right off the front and clean your radiator out!!!

 

[Coronet 500]

The only thing I can suggest is get or build an adjustable piston stop that goes in the spark plug hole and a timing tape. Find your true T.D.C. and set your full advance at 34-36 and leave it for now.

 

[Jonnyuma]

Mmkay, good info there. I especially like the part about getting my rad cleaned-out, it could use it. But seriously, folks...When I found TDC I saw that the rotor was pointed at the 6 o'clock position, not 5 o'clock where the #1 tower was. Thinking that the distributor's drive gear somehow got a tooth off, I "fixed" it by moving it so that the slot and therefore the rotor where pointing at the #1 tower. Now it won't start at all. It looks to me like it should fire right up and run like a champ. But alas, no, I don't really know what alas means.

 

[greenmonsta79]

Well, you just messed up your timing. It does not have to be pointed to #1 to run, I have seen them where people have put them in a 9 0'clock and still run fine. You need to rotate it to TDC on compression stroke on #1 cylinder and then check where the mark is on your Harmonic balancer. If it is off by any bit just buy a aftermarket harmonic balancer they really aren't all that expensive. I think I paid $150.00 for my performance products balancer for my 440 they have interchangeable weights for either BB or SB application.

 

[Coronet 500]

Sounds like your real close. I would double check all your wire positions, just to be sure, then turn the distributor counter clockwise(advance) slowly while you crank it.

 

[Jonnyuma]

So, if we assume for now that I've tried those things and yet, still no joy, what's my solution to un-F-ing the timing now? If this was a fresh rebuild, and it was time to drop in the distributor, how would you do it to make sure it fires right up and doesn't turn that cool new cam into chin-up bar? I would turn it over by hand to find TDC and check the timing mark. If it was at 0 I'd do it again 3 or 4 more times just to be sure and then drop in the drive gear with the slot pointing at the #1 position. There's not much doubt that I messed up my timing, but I don't really get WHY it's messed up. The way it was before it seems like it would be retarded 30 or more degrees from the git-go.