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Timing tab gone

fastride

Jr. Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
106
Loc.
Tuscaloosa,Alabama
On my 74 302, the timing tab is gone. What be the easiest way to set the timing with a timing light. I put a new distributor in it and feel like I have it close but would really like to put a timing light on it so I can get it where it needs to be.
 

JAFO

Bronco Guru
Joined
Dec 3, 2007
Messages
1,556
Loc.
Beaverdam
I guess you could first find TDC. #1 piston at TDC, both valves closed, dizzy pointing at #1 plug wire. Now you should see the timing mark on the harmonic balance I guess at 2 O'clock. Some 302's can also be 10 or 11 o'clock. Then you could fab a pointer out of tin and get it mounted. Or use tape I guess. Or make some mark someplace on the engine so you know TDC. You want 6 degrees BTC. So I think the TDC mark on the harmonic balance will move towards the passenger side as you change the timing to before top dead center. If I am making any sense at all. I think the hard part in all this is getting #1 piston to exactly top of stroke. You'd want to take all the plugs out so easy to turn the engine over.

Getting the correct timing tab for the engine is the easiest of course.
 

DirtDonk

Contributor
Bronco Guru
Joined
Nov 3, 2003
Messages
47,346
Unfortunately you have to know what the engine came out of to get the correct tab.
Usually there are screw holes you can find to gauge which pointer your particular engine needs. But they can be hard to see. Maybe a pic of the front cover area will help someone here "point" you in the right direction.

All Early Broncos got the same one of course, but with so many engines from different Fords swapped in over the years it's hard to tell sometimes. And unless you're the original (or long-time) owner you can't guarantee it wasn't swapped out at some point.

Oh, and to add insult to injury, if the harmonic damper has ever been replaced there is a better than average chance it's the wrong one too. Ford used at least two or three versions with the timing marks at different points on the ring and the aftermarket manufacturers didn't take too much trouble to get the right ones in the right box. And then there are simply the mistakes at the parts stores where the wrong one goes in a box and does not get re-marked.

So JAFO's idea of making your own marks might be what you end up doing. No matter what pointer you get.
For comparison in case you haven't seen one before, here is a stock original style Bronco pointer: https://www.wildhorses4x4.com/product/Timing_Marker/Bronco_Timing_Chain_Cover
If your water pump has the inlet facing the passenger side, look for a pair of holes that look about like they'd fit this pointer on the driver's side of the cover just above the damper ring. Like he said, at about the 2:00 location.

If your pump's inlet is on the driver's side however, all bets are off and you have to use a car or universal pointer. Or make your own.

Paul
 

billtammy

Jr. Member
Joined
Mar 24, 2014
Messages
78
If you really want to know tdc and use a light to set timing you need to first establish exact tdc. with #1 plug or all for ease of turning use a wooden dowel in # 1 hole slowly turn crank with a breaker bar until it stops mark location of timing mark of balancer on cover then turn engine in opposite direction and mark it again the center of these 2 marks will be exact tdc. It doesn't matter now if balancer has slipped{ except for vibration and future movement} use that mark to set timing. You can also check timing chain stretch by watching dist rotor while turning back and forth t see how many degrees crank changes before the rotor.
 

jckkys

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
5,196
Since you say you have a '74 302. It's likely the EB timing pointer that Ford used on 289-302-351Ws through '69 and all early Bronco V8s. It's the same one Paul referenced. If you don't have an EB engine pulley system, you may want to post a photo. There are a lot of potential combinations.
 
OP
OP
F

fastride

Jr. Member
Joined
Jan 18, 2013
Messages
106
Loc.
Tuscaloosa,Alabama
Fist of all, thanks for all of the information. What I have done is removed #1 spark plug and put my thumb over the hole until the pressure of the compression stroke blew my finger off of it and then I stuck a pencil in there and had my wife hold the pencil until it reached the point where it started back while I turned the crank with a socket and ratchet. Forgot to say that I put a new distributor in it. Then i pulled the distributor in and out several times until i got the rotor button pointed to the #1 spark plug wire. I moved the distributor back and fourth until it was running good but still want to make sure it is where it is supposed to be. I will try marking somewhere and the put lines on the harmonic balancer and see it i can get it closer. Does this sound like what i am supposed to be doing. Any more suggestion would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks
 

chriskent85

Full Member
Joined
Aug 17, 2016
Messages
293
Or for $7.16 and free shipping you could know exactly what your timing is.

https://www.cjponyparts.com/scott-d...MItreNrdv81gIVE7nACh2I4wr3EAQYASABEgIu8_D_BwE

Funny i have that pointer on the dr. side of my balance and another one on the pass side that is the one that gets used on my motor.

here is mine.
https://www.cjponyparts.com/5-0-timing-pointer/p/F1TZ6023A/?gclid=CjwKCAjwmqHPBRBQEiwAOvbR8wUbPkXzBUJ02__ldMKZjFdw4OsQu95M1WHvch1E7umKyDP6Zp5lTxoCCRIQAvD_BwE
 

Slowleak

Bronco Guru
Joined
Sep 12, 2013
Messages
3,732
Loc.
Georgia
The one from CJ Pony says it goes up to 73. I need to check the numbers on my block and make sure what year it is


That picture is of a passenger side pointer but the description says it mounts on the driver side. Yours should look like the one Paul posted if you have the original stock engine.
 

jckkys

Bronco Guru
Joined
Mar 15, 2012
Messages
5,196
The reason the CJ Pony Parts only goes to '73 is they are talking about Mustangs not Broncos. As I said the EB V8s used the same timing cover, water pump, and harmonic damper from '66 to '77. Thus the same 1962 pointer. All these parts work on 351Ws too. To find the actual TDC, thread the inside of a spark plug and screw a 3/8" bolt through it to touch the piston. There are many youtube and other instructions describing this. There is no reason to believe yours is off, yet.
 
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