'84 898 Thunderbolt timing help

[Bass-by-you]

This is a 302/2bbl carb system....When running 3300 rpm or above I was getting what is called a "lean pop" up through the carb. Helpful neighbor says the timing is off. I start the motor he allegedly retards the timing and now it will not start no matter how much cranking I do. How do I get back to a timing baseline. I am a one armed kind of guy and the harmonic balancer is buried at the back end of the engine bay. I just want to find a reasonable place to position the carb so it will start....then go from there? Thanks guys.

 

[Bt Doctur]

Re: '84 898 Thunderbolt timing help

Have never seen a TBolt on a ford motor.

 

[Don S]

Re: '84 898 Thunderbolt timing help

898 is a Chevy engine, not a Ford, the Ford was the 888.

Get a timing light and a helper, and while cranking the engine, turn the distributor to get the timing marks lined up.

You could also get the engine up on #1 TDC on the compression stroke, remove the cap,and turn the distributor so the position of the rotor is just before the #1 terminal on the distributor cap.

 

[Bass-by-you]

Re: '84 898 Thunderbolt timing help

My apologies to Bt etal.......I clearly had too much (or not enough) coffee when I posted my question. Of course the engine is the 898 chevy 305. I simply wanted to know if there was a quick and dirty trick to getting the timing in a reasonable position by listening to the engine while adjusting the distributor. Thanks