[DeTomaso] I found the problem

[Fred Foreman]

A loose harmonic balancer makes it hard, no impossible to set the timing.  I
found this out about 2 years ago when checking my timing.  Bought a new
Pioneer balancer from Summit and ORiley's loaned me the tools to remove and
install them.
 
For peace of mind I double checked the TDC marking on the balancer - my own
way.  I had heard of whistles placed into a spark plug hole but I didn't
have one.  I put the engine at TDC for #1 which was easy to access behind
the alternator.  Removed the spark plug and, rather than putting in a hard
object to find TDC of the piston, I found a fitting to go into the spark
plug hole and ran a 1 foot piece of clear plastic tubing from the fitting.
It went into a 1/2 full clear plastic soda bottle propped behind the
alternator.  If I moved the crank 1/16" (well, it was a very short distance
on the circumference) either way of TDC I could see the water going up AND
down the plastic tube 1/2" (hence the requirement for clear plastic parts).
I played with it several times going back and forth with the crank.  That
told me the TDC mark was actually at TDC since the water up-down movement
was centered on the TDC mark.  Don't turn the engine very much since you
don't want to suck any water into the chamber.
 
Fred Foreman
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   A loose harmonic balancer makes it hard, no impossible to set the
   timing.  I found this out about 2 years ago when checking my timing.
   Bought a new Pioneer balancer from Summit and ORiley's loaned me the
   tools to remove and install them.



   For peace of mind I double checked the TDC marking on the balancer - my
   own way.  I had heard of whistles placed into a spark plug hole but I
   didn't have one.  I put the engine at TDC for #1 which was easy to
   access behind the alternator.  Removed the spark plug and, rather than
   putting in a hard object to find TDC of the piston, I found a fitting
   to go into the spark plug hole and ran a 1 foot piece of clear plastic
   tubing from the fitting.  It went into a 1/2 full clear plastic soda
   bottle propped behind the alternator.  If I moved the crank 1/16"
   (well, it was a very short distance on the circumference) either way of
   TDC I could see the water going up AND down the plastic tube
   1/2" (hence the requirement for clear plastic parts).  I played with it
   several times going back and forth with the crank.  That told me the
   TDC mark was actually at TDC since the water up-down movement was
   centered on the TDC mark.  Don't turn the engine very much since you
   don't want to suck any water into the chamber.



   Fred Foreman