I have read contrary info on timing and timing marks on the 327/350 Q engines. The manual I have says 4° BTDC and folks write it should be 8°. Also that the fly wheel has a hole drilled in at at 4° and no conventional lines etched in like you would normally see on an automotive engine. On my 31 there is no way to aim a gun and get a good line of sight to the flywheel thru the window. I am forced to use a mirror. I also have the electronic distributor so any advance is going to be the calc built into the chips based on time interval between sparks. Any advise on all of this is appreciated. Seems like my engines hit the wall at about 2500 rpm. They both have recently been rebuilt so I am not pushing them right now but after I get 100 hrs or so I expect to work up to WOT just to ensure I am tuned properly for fuel consumption.
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Hi John. Happy New Year. I hope Lee Dahlen will chime in here. I had Q's but mine were in a double cabin and I had clear line of site to the marks. He is really the expert on these things since he does it for a living. If he does not chime in, I will give him a call for you. Cheers!
Lets try this anyone have a good picture of the 350Q timing marks? I can't find anything on line. All the pictures are automotive engines not the ChrisCraft.
John, I texted Lee for you. He should chime in.
Timing is set at 550 RPMS. I have always had to ease it in gear and let the lines get tight to achieve. Then the hole drilled in the flywheel is where you want to line up to the middle of the window at this rpm. (Sounds like your pointer is missing but that is where it would be. The drilled hole should also have an L or R next to it. You said recently rebuilt so I hope they put the correct flywheel on each engine. Ive seen them reversed before and instead of doing the labor to swap we just used a dial indicator and re marked the flywheel at TDC then degreed it out with a light.
Hope this will help you. One secret I use in hard to see areas is to the video camera on a phone or a bore scope camera if you have one. Works like a charm!
Good Luck!
I have a little camera that plugs into my iphone. Thanks for the info. Will try it. Engines were rebuilt at different times. The pointers are there screwed to the covers. Will pull mynplugs and turn to find the marks.
John. Just so you know what you are looking for. It is basically a drill mark tgat is just the start of a hole. Round and not deep. I always try to put a drop of white paint on mine when I can get to it. It makes timing so much easier
Whote paint is the plan if it’s there. What diameter bit did they use 1/8”, 1/4”, 3/8””???
I would say 1/4.
Thanks for the photos. I would have missed that for sure. My window is in the front with a pointer held on with a screw. I will search for something on top but I am sure the coolant tank hangs over too far. I will take a picture and look for this casting mark
What gear is that? Does not look like the flywheel ?
The dimple is on the flat part of the flywheel. Those teeth are on the flywheel.
Found the hole and put some paint on it. It was advanced so far it was completely out of the window. As I backed down the timing the rpm droped. With the hole on the edge of the pointer(retarded) I get some backfire at idle but the engine is really smooth at 2,000. I am going to set it just on the edge of advance and see if I can get 3,000 under load. Will let you know. Next step is get the carbs serviced.
My electronic distributor is on the edge of the clamp down flange. ( limiting the advance) To relocate it is it as simple as rotating the oil pump gear one tooth clockwise and turning the distributor housing the same?
John, I would say yes< BUT, I am not sure about the direction of turning. One tooth will give you are adjustment if you are limited by physical constraints of the distributor
If you can’t turn the distributor far enough, couldn’t you move the plug wires one position?
James that makes sense. Sometimes you can’t see in the tall weeds
Jim, That is a really good idea. That will definitely work.
Well thanks everyone for the help. Currently the engines are starting easily, idle well all the way down to 400rpm and accelerate without backfire or hesitation out of gear. I will know more when we get her out under load. At the start no holes or marks were visible At the end of setting the timing on my port or left hand rotation engine a second drill hole came into view. About 2” ahead of where I am set now. The engine seems happy with the front edge of the second hole just before it gets to the pointer. I am thinking this is slightly advanced of 5°. Maybe some one taped the flywheel marked TDC then also marked an advanced setting they were shooting for. This engine is the original that was rebuilt so I am going with this to start. The starb engine was a replacement with new heads fit. Wish me luck.