Brian,
I don't have the Clymers, but I'm reasonably sure the 3/16" per
4 degrees refers to the vernier adjustment on the vacuum advance
for the distributor, not to the distance between TDC and the hole on
the crankshaft pulley.
I've always timed using the light bulb trick, then retard 4 degrees
by using the vernier wheel. From your description, it sounds like
you have the technique right, and that your advance is working
correctly.
At 09:03 AM 8/30/98 -0400, Brian Sanborn wrote:
>
>Hi Listers
>
>I am beginning to feel like the TR4 problems poster boy. But here is a
>basic set of facts I need help with. I don't know the answer to a puzzle.
>"Am I doing something basically wrong or is my distributor broken and
>feeding in super advance". TRF has a UK rebuilt distributor for $260 and a
>$40 core charge. I am willing to go this route to get past this problem but
>I am not sure it is the fix and it is an expensive variable to change on
>speculation.
>
>I have a TR4/A Workshop Manual, a Clymers Maintenance Handbook and a "How to
>Restore British Cars" book. They are all pretty clear about the importance
>of static timing. When I use the static timing procedure with the light
>bulb trick... start the car.... at 900 RPM the timing light shows the hole
>in the pulley at about 1 1/2 inches before the timing mark. According to
>the Clymers Handbook every 3/16 of an inch is equal to 4 degrees of advance.
>That means I am up around 30 degrees instead of 4 degrees. If I raise the
>RPM to 1500 or so.... the pulley hole goes out to about 2 1/2 or more from
>the mark. If I retard the timing so that the timing hole is at the 4 degree
>level the engine seems to get rough and lose idle speed.
>
>This morning I am going to dismantle my distributor and see if the
>centrifugal advance mechanism is assembled correctly and check that the
>springs are all there.
>
>Brian Sanborn
>62 TR4 CT16260L - Groton, MA
>sanborn@net1plus.com
>
>
Cliff Hansen
chansen@exis.net
1966 TR-4A CTC 64615L
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