4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

Where are the 4.3L Mercruiser Timing marks (262, 175 hp)? I have a 1987 SeaRay Seville I am working on and I see the timing mark on the harmonic balancer (I believe thats what its called, the piece with all of the belts hooked up to it). What I don't see is any gauge on the engine cover.. I have set the timing on cars before, so I understand the basics of doing so.

If anyone has pictures of this, I would love to see them, perhaps my engine is missing a piece?

Re: 4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

the timing tab should be right on the timing chain cover on the right as your faceing the front of the engine..... Key words being "should be".

Look to see if its there... if you can't find it i'll explain how to make a timing mark.

Re: 4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

Ayuh,... It Should be at about 1:30/ 2:00 lookin' at the front of the motor....
Right on the Timing Cover...

Re: 4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

Its another part that bolts on to the engine? If so, nope, not there at all.

Re: 4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

The timing tab is welded to the timing cover on that engine.

Should look something like this.

Re: 4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

Just a question, is this etched into the timing cover? A sticker? There is a rough part of the timing cover after cleaning it up good with some degreaser, looks like possibly a sticker or something was attached there... At this point, I am just going to aim for about 1/3rd of the way from the right side of that rough spot and it looks like it will line up with the right area (this is with a timing advance light, so I am compenstating for the 8 degrees with that).

It seems to run fairly rough(still running though) at that setting and a fairly strong gas smell from the exhaust, does it sound like I need to look at readjusting/rebuilding the carb as its running too rich?

Re: 4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

Post a picture of what you have.
It's very possible for an old boat to have a new engine, with old covers and documentation.

Re: 4.3 L Mercruiser Timing Marks

Just a question, is this etched into the timing cover? A sticker?

Click to expand...

Nope it is a metal tab that comes off the cover and hangs right over the top of the balancer, it hangs less than an inch above it. Hence why I called it a timing tab.