Yep, I'd check it just to see what it is at idle and then at the prescribed max mechanical advance rpm for your distributor. You can check Marcel's website for your distributor type and serial number and it will tell you what the advance will be at the max rpm and go from there.

I haven't done this yet but can you imagine what my mechanical advanced timing was when the idle timing was 38 deg BTDC?  I think I set a new record. 

Check it out and let us know what you find.  dan

"I don't know much, but what I do know I know little of "

With one of those you can accurately measure the advance against the "TDC" mark, no matter how high the advance finally goes. You read the advance on the timing light instead of on the engine (just turn the knob until the pulley mark is lined up with the TDC mark and then read what the knob is set to).

I learned my lesson the hard way, don't bother with a static timing light, buy a light with that adjustment instead.

Norm

How can you tell what it is over 20 degrees when the scale only goes to 20?  The scale at the timing cover is not exactly linear.

Do you have to gestimate?

When you do check your timing, be sure to check it at high RPM (4000RPM, or so, should get you to full advance, check your shop manual, though, to be sure, because max advance was set anywhere from 2600 ~ 7000 RPM, depending on the year your engine/dizzy was built).

what you want to see at full advance will depend on your engine set-up, and the Morris/Austin/BL/Rover shop manual is a great resource because they said what it should be at several RPMs, and what the maximum advance should be.

Unfortunately, Haynes doesn't say anything about maximum advance, and Vizard's book on tuning the A series talks about how important it is, but doesn't supply much real information on what it should be. I don't know why. One rule of thumb is that after you add up the advance at idle, plus the full mechanical advance, and you should never go above 40 degrees (I can't find this written anywhere, I just have a note from what an old timer told me once when I was struggling with an issue with a car that was running over-advanced at high RPM and overheating). So, the amount of total mechanical advance should not be above 30deg, as a rough rule of thumb.

Depending on the year, and displacement of the A series engine, mech. advance has been anywhere from 26 ~ 36deg.

Of course, all of the above must be done with the vacuum advance disconnected from the vacuum source.

Seeing the wide array of advance curves used over the years, it is clearer than ever how valuable a resource something like the 123 distributor is, to be able to dial right in to what your own engine can most make use of, on a proper rolling road dynamometer.

Let us know how it turns out.

Norm

I loosened the bolt @ the base of my dizzy ~2 years ago when I first got the car and after trying numerous tools, I ended up putting a vice grip (locking pliers) on it and with all my 200lbs was unable to turn the thing.  Any more force, and I will quite literally break the dizzy off the engine, so I hadn't even taken the next step to even CHECK the timing, but maybe I should at least see what it is.

It only heats up on extended runs on the highway in excess of, let's say, 50mph/90km/h.  I can putt putt around town or do 30-50mph all day and it usually doesn't get hot.

I do have plenty of dampener oil in the top of the carb, and don't think my antifreeze mixture is too rich.

No time to play with it at all today. Was outside yankin' heavy stuff out of the woods with the Land Rover and mowing lotsa grass all day today.

Maybe tomorrow if time permits !

Thanks guys.  Appreciate the suggestions.

Who wants to buy my Series II 88"-Land Rover so I can buy Alex's "BETTY" ? 

       ~ 30 minutes in a Mini is more therapeutic than 3 sessions @ the shrink. ~

     Mike  NB, Canada   

If it works in Oz it should be adequate in Canada.....

Cheers, Ian

Checking timing at 4000rpm - is that with the vac advance on or off ?

Metric is for people who can't do fractions.

Thank You in advance!

Stieve

Grumpy: I'm bettin' The Joker told you to kill me soon as we loaded the cash.
BOZO;The Joker: No no no no, I kill the bus driver.
Grumpy: Bus driver? What bus driver?

Hey Mike, Keith thinks that your timing is wrong. First I'll say that we run all our vehicules on Mobil 1 Synthetic.

We also use Water Wetter and DOT 5 synthetic brake fluid. 

Check your timing at 4000 rpm.  It should  be between 26 and 30 degrees. 

No more. IF it is more you have to find a way to get your dissy to move.

Deb 

Keith & Deb

Avatar:Turn 1 at the Glen

I think I learned the hard way that timing has alot to do with engine temperature. After procrastinating for 2 1/2 years, fitting a super 2-core, tropical fan, water wetter it still ran very, very hot on the freeway. High rpms and excessive heat, really bad up around 90 deg outside temp.

Well, I finally got around to checking the timing and found it was somewhere in the 35-38 BTDC range at 600(ish) rpm. No pinging or performance issues with the extremely advanced setting. With Doug's help (thx again) I've made my own timing marks (no marks on the flywheel), timing pointer and have been playing around with the timing and have lowered it to 20 BTDC with dramatic results. I took a run today in 100 deg heat, off and on the freeway and it ran cooler than ever! 185F on the freeway, up and down hills (until I hit the monster incline and it went up to 200F but not any higher). I couldn't even drive city streets when it was over 90F without it REALLY getting hot. Lowered it to 17.5BTDC and will drive again to see what difference it makes and gradually work it down to the "normal" setting.

So I guess the moral of this is check your timing and see what it is, if it is too far advanced, free up the distributor, time it correctly and see what happens.

Now that I was soooooo long winded, if it doesn't overheat on country roads or city driving it could also be running lean at freeway rpms so check the dampener oil, spring(s) and last but not least try a richer profile needle for the top end rpms.  dan

"I don't know much, but what I do know I know little of "

I'm running water wetter, heater is always on (but fan not always blowing-obviously), but haven't checked the vacuum on the dizzy in a looong while though - good tip, thanks !

Willy: Yeah, whodathunkit? ;-)

Who wants to buy my Series II 88"-Land Rover so I can buy Alex's "BETTY" ? 

       ~ 30 minutes in a Mini is more therapeutic than 3 sessions @ the shrink. ~

     Mike  NB, Canada   

Minis run hot in Canada??? 

willy

Many synthetics have ZDDP. Shell Rotella-T, Redline - like regular oil, ZDDP is an additive and you have to look at the "ingredients" for each brand you are considering.

The "SL" or earlier diesel oils should have sufficient levels of zinc (Rotella-T is Shells' diesel/Truck synthetic.) "SM" is the class of oil with low zinc levels.

I am not sure that synthetic is going to make that big a difference though. Its main attribute as far as temperature is concerned, is that it can stand higher temperatures before breaking down. I have read some cases recording a 10°F drop, but I think that would be an exceptional result. The stability and consistency of synthetic is what makes it great for cold weather starting. It doesn't thicken as much in cold temperatures, and it doesn't thin out as readily at high temperatures.

If the seals on the car are relatively new (no more than a few years old) I don't think you should have a leakage problem. My Mini uses synthetic and leaks very little (and it leaked before I used synthetic.) The rumor is that really old motors will have lots of gunk that helps old gaskets seal, and synthetic's cleaning powers will loosen the gunk and make them leak. So if your motor has old seals, then there may be a risk there.

DLY

And to answer one of your specifics, if you DO use synthetic, then only top up with synthetic.

Tried all/most/some of the usual things to have my car run cool, but on the highway, eventually the temp guage will creep up and up.  No time to make any actual mods to the car, so, oil is my last hope.  Car runs rich-ish, so not a lean-out problem.  Dizzy will NOT move/rotate.  (have tried everything-gotta be welded in there) so can't vary the timing, though it for sure is not pinging.(advanced) and always seems to start/run well.  Engine 1970's vintage A-series 998, nearly bone stock with stage 1.

One of the guys at work has put Amsoil, synthetic in his Honda ST-1300A bike and swears it runs cooler now, as compared to before, and comparing it on runs with another guy running the identical bike.

Will using Synthetic in my Mini make it run cooler? (even a little?) How bad are my oil leaks gonna be on the garage floor if I switch?  I should change the oil before going to Maine/MME in a week or so.  Will I be able to top up with "regular" oil, and does it HAVE to be synthetic? So many questions.  The only experience I have with synthetic is when I switched my OLD vw Golf diesel over one winter, and noticed it started (rolled over) much quicker.

And, no, I haven't yet done a searchback 365.  yes, I should've known better before asking.

Who wants to buy my Series II 88"-Land Rover so I can buy Alex's "BETTY" ? 

       ~ 30 minutes in a Mini is more therapeutic than 3 sessions @ the shrink. ~

     Mike  NB, Canada