MTFCA Forum

Hello,
I wanted to see how is the best way to check for correct timer rod length. My new 26 had an old outside oiler that the rod is bent to pass under and I wonder if it hasn't caused the rod to get out of adjustment. The car starts pretty easily, but curiously, it will only start with the spark a little advanced.

Thanks and God Bless,

Joshua A Powers

1. Turn crank shaft around until crank pin is horizontal
2. Turn key to Batt.
3. Retard spark
4. No coils should be buzzing
5. If coil buzzes go to step eight
6. Advance spark rod 3-5 clicks on quadrant a coil should buzz; If coil doesn’t begin to buzz go to step nine.
7. Retard spark, coil should stop buzzing everything okay!
8. The timer control needs to be lengthened return to step three.
9. The timer control needs to be shortened return to step three
10. Coil should buzz and quit buzzing every time you advance and retard the spark.

Thanks for the help. I will try it out tomorrow.

God Bless.

My T has an outside oiler and the stock timer rod goes over it. It is adjusted correctly. I have another T same year and it came with a timer rod which is not curved. It goes over the lower hose and straight to the timer. There is only a short bend to adjust the timing. This car has a New Day timer. I don't that is a stock rod, but it works fine.
Norm

Turn the motor to get the crank pin 15 degrees past horizontal. (!5 DEGREES)
Full retard the spark lever.
Disconnect the timer rod on one end.
Retard the timer body more. (turn counter counter clockwise as you view from the front.)
Turn ignition on battery.
Slowly rotate timer body clockwise until you hear a coil buzz.
Bend timer rod to match/hold this position of the timer.

If you are using a New Day Timer, Disconnect the timing rod from the timer before attempting to bend it. Trying to bend while connected to the timer can tweak the tab and cause it to break off the timer.

Turn the motor to get the crank pin 15 degrees past horizontal.

If you think of the crank pin as a clock hand, horizontal (3 o'clock) is TDC. 15º past TDC is halfway between 3 and 4.

Here's my version of setting timing: https://dauntlessgeezer.com/DG97.html

I agree with all the above, but remember the routing of the timer pull rod is critical to proper ignition timing over the entire range of expected case movement.
The rod MUST be routed under the water inlet pipe (Not under the water inlet hose) to allow complete timer case advance range and AND the small lever at the end of the spark lever rod MUST be securely affixed to the spark lever rod. They are pinned to the rod,but are usually loose. You can set the initial timing at 15.5 degrees using the clock face method, but if the small lever is loose on the rod you will not get correct spark advance over the entire range of timer case movement.
Ron Patterson

Hello Again,

Thanks for the advice. After looking at the current range of motion on the rod I can see why it is bent the way they did ( the wrong way). It currently cannot go any further on the retard without hitting the timing cover and fully advanced it hits the oiler line. I am going to have to do some creative bending to go over the line and still stay under the lower radiator pipe. I have never had one with an outside oiler; do they normally connect to an elbow at the front. This one just has a bend in the line which seems like it holds it up higher than it really has to be.

Thanks and God Bless,

Joshua A Powers

Post a picture or two and you'll get constructive advice as to what to change to get a generally conforming setup which will allow proper timing range.

A lot of external oil lines are like this. It's up to the installer to bend the copper tubing to fit. It connects to a hollow bolt used in place of one of the pan bolts. As Scott described, the rod goes under the water pipe and curves up and over the oil line. Lever up (fully retarded) the rod is at its closest to the copper line. It looks to me like about ⅝". As the lever goes down, that space widens, but not very much.

Start with a new timing rod from the vendors. Then if the new rod is hitting anything move the anything don't bend the rod. The only time the rod should be bent is to adjust the timing. The only wat to do that is to grab the end that attaches to the timer and the part of the rod that is a half-circle and flex it in or out. If you have an oil pan bolt in the way, sticking up, turn it over. Outside oiler in the way? Bend the oiler out of the way.

this is what it looked like originally:

Has anyone ever considered reading the Ford Service book? It's all in there!

Has anyone ever considered reading the Ford Service book? It's all in there!

When all else fails, read the instructions.

Doesnt the service manual only work for the original roller timers?
Not applicable to the variability in the various new day brushes specifically & any other aftermarket unit generally.

Its good to have a timing method (simple @ that) that works for any & all timers.