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Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:15 pm

My new motor from mofoco has the rotor pointing at the #2 cylinder when it is at the #1 firing positon. With other words the distributor drive shaft was installed in a non-standard way 90 degrees farther counter-clockwise. How can I adjust my new motor's valves without using the rotors positioning?

Do I just turn the motor over until the rotor points to the "new" #1 firing position and adjust the valves in the same sequence as Benteley or the Muir book says?

Also, is .006 still standard for intake and exhaust?

Any help is greatly appreciated, thanks

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:19 pm

Don't look at the rotor, stick your finger in #1 spark plug hole and turn until you feel compression, when you reach TDC on the pulley that's where you start, put a sharpie mark on the distributor then if it makes you feel better.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:25 pm

Thanks for the reply, but can't the compression stroke be easily mistaken for the "exhaust expelling stroke"?

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:32 pm

iprangen wrote: Thanks for the reply, but can't the compression stroke be easily mistaken for the "exhaust expelling stroke"?

You will have no compression on the exhaust stroke. You can just use the timing marks on the fan pulley for #1 and #3 plus make your own mark about 180° opposite the timing mark for #2 and #4. When the rotor points to the #1 wire and the timing marks are close to being aligned you are there.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 6:40 pm

Oh right, there will be no compression because the exhaust valve is open. Duh, I get it, I must have missed "Basic Four Stroke 101". :lol:

Thanks again. I guess I'll just stick my finger in the hole... :oops:

Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:34 pm

What distributor are you using?

Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:44 pm

Wildthings wrote: You can just use the timing marks on the fan pulley for #1 and #3 plus make your own mark about 180° opposite the timing mark for #2 and #4.

Evidently that's good advice for a T-4, but wait until someone tries to do it on a T-1 upright. :lol:

Mon Nov 09, 2009 7:58 pm

Quote: Evidently that's good advice for a T-4, but wait until someone tries to do it on a T-1 upright.

Why what would happen with a Type 1 when you did that?

Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:14 pm

T-1's don't have any marks on a fan pulley.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 8:51 pm

I would be questioning why my new motor has the distributor drive installed incorrectly. What else did they do wrong? You shouldn't have to learn to compensate for a component being incorrectly installed. I'd be pulling the drive out and putting it in right at the bare minimum.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:08 pm

If he's using a 009, it would make sense that it was 90 degrees off.

Mon Nov 09, 2009 10:10 pm

Desertbusman wrote: T-1's don't have any marks on a fan pulley.

Crank Pulley...I suppose you could call the pulley on the end of a t4 fan a crank pulley eh?? Or not...

Tue Nov 10, 2009 1:29 pm

VDubTech wrote: I would be questioning why my new motor has the distributor drive installed incorrectly. What else did they do wrong? You shouldn't have to learn to compensate for a component being incorrectly installed. I'd be pulling the drive out and putting it in right at the bare minimum.

I've been putting dist drive pinions in the same way for almost 20 years......just because it's not the same as the book, doesn't mean it wrong. Ask all the other builders on here how many things they do that don't follow the book.....and my advice on the proper way to find TDC, everytime, with no guess work? Look at the keyway on the crank for the crank pulley. When it's at 9 o'clock, find the #2 or #4 exhaust valve that is moving when you rock it back and forth. Then adjust the other three on that side and the coresponding exhuast valve on the other side. Next, rotate 360 degrees and do the exact same thing but opposite sides. I was taught this way when I was 12 years old and have been doing it the same way ever since. I have never adjusted valves the way the book says and couldn't even explain it to anyone.

Fri Mar 19, 2010 8:50 am

iprangen wrote:

Thanks again. I guess I'll just stick my finger in the hole... :oops:

\:D/ Nice.

Fri Mar 19, 2010 10:17 am

720* of crank shaft rotation completes 1 four-stroke cycle!

Fri Mar 19, 2010 11:45 am

roy@mofoco.com wrote: VDubTech wrote: I would be questioning why my new motor has the distributor drive installed incorrectly. What else did they do wrong? You shouldn't have to learn to compensate for a component being incorrectly installed. I'd be pulling the drive out and putting it in right at the bare minimum.

I've been putting dist drive pinions in the same way for almost 20 years......just because it's not the same as the book, doesn't mean it wrong. Ask all the other builders on here how many things they do that don't follow the book.....and my advice on the proper way to find TDC, everytime, with no guess work? Look at the keyway on the crank for the crank pulley. When it's at 9 o'clock, find the #2 or #4 exhaust valve that is moving when you rock it back and forth. Then adjust the other three on that side and the coresponding exhuast valve on the other side. Next, rotate 360 degrees and do the exact same thing but opposite sides. I was taught this way when I was 12 years old and have been doing it the same way ever since. I have never adjusted valves the way the book says and couldn't even explain it to anyone.

I agree......but its even simpler just to start with the crank at TDC on #1...wherin both valves are closed and can be adjusted at one time. Turning the engine counter clockwise 180* lets you adjust both on # 2....turn 180* counter again and adjust both on # 3....turn 180* again and adjust both on #4.

Adjust all valves at TDC on all four cylinders. The firing order turning counter clockwise is 1,2,3,4.
You only need two marks on your pulley...."0" and 180* directly across from it.
Hopping around adjusting these valves here and those valves there is a good method .......but time wasting in my book. Ray

Fri Mar 19, 2010 4:13 pm

That's good but you can take it one step further on a T-1. If you're using the generator pulley nut to rotate the engine just go clockwise. Counting backwards 1-4-3-2 is just as easy and you're not chancing loosening the gen pulley nut.
On an engine that has been and is able to run, rotate it until it's at the TDC mark. And remove the cap and if the #1 plug wire is sitting directly above the rotor that's the correct TDC to adjust #1 valves. If the wire isn't above the rotor rotate the crank another full revolution. No need to pull any plugs. From then on just rotate the crank 1/2 revolution each time to do 4,3,and 2.
And yes, 006" is correct with solid lifters. PROVIDING that the pushrods are the stock aluminum pushrods. Many people are using chromemolly push rod and those require somewhere between a loose .000" to .002". Aluminum pushrods get tighter and steel gets looser from different thermal expansion.