No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

[liquidlew]

Working on a bud's boat, 1996 5.7 Merc Alpha one Gen 2, and cannot find the timing scale that is supposed to be there, there is NOTHING there! I know what it looks like cuz I have one on my 4.3 V6 Merc. Am I missing something? Anybody got a pic of a similar year/engine with one?

 

[cr2k]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

Aye Carumba! has someone changed the timing cover? Sometimes they hide them on the starboard side. If not can you get to the bellhousing? May be a hole there like some of the BB Ford jet boats have.

Next step would be to find TDC and make a mark in line with the timing mark on the dampner (there is one there right?). Then you can buy a little degree decal from the hot rod parts store and stick it on there.

 

[ENSIGN]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

Theres a notch on the timing cover at the 2o-clock position put some white paint on it and use a timing light with a built in advance scale to set the timing.

 

[liquidlew]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

OK, yeah, there is a raised thing with a notch right at the 2 oclock position like you said, but where do I find that special timing light? Never heard of such a thing, course I'm just a backyard hack! Can I rent one at Auto Zone?

 

[Don S]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

You can also buy timing tapes to put on the vibration dampner.
Many places have them, here is a link to one kind. look at the last page.
http://www.mr-gasket.com/pdf/EngineComponents.pdf

 

[jtmarten]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

You can buy an advancing timing light at any auto parts store. About $10-15 more than a standard timing light, and worth every penny.
Don't waste the time with a timing tape. You'll spend way too much time cleaning the balancer to get it clean enough for the tape to stick, and sometimes they still don't stick well.
With an advancing light, you'll always be setting the timing groove at the zero mark. I threw away my non-advancing lights after using the advancing one once.
The digital ones are really nice, they'll display rpm as well, so plotting an advance curve is super easy.

 

[tacconelli6]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

Do you set the advance dial to the degree that your motor is specified to before taking a reading?

 

[jtmarten]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

Mine is digital, so you input the number of degrees of advance you want. When the groove is in the zero mark on the tab, its advanced to your setting.

 

[tacconelli6]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

Gotcha! So if I set my advance on the gun to 10 degree the mark will be on 0 in the tab.

 

[jtmarten]

Re: No Timing scale on timing chain cover!

If you're lookin' for 10* advance, yes.