the total advance. wise until the piston again contacts the The crankshaft damper/pulley will solder, stopping any further rotation of have to be marked to include the the crankshaft. Mark, with a white increased idle speed advance degrees marking pen. the damper/front pulley and the total advance degree mark- adjacent to the fixed pointer or TDC ings. The amount of idle speed ad- line on the block/timing cover. The vance is not going to be more than 20 true TDC line on the damper/front degrees while the total advance pulley has to be exactly in the middle degrees is going to be 36 or 38 of the two temporary white marks, degrees before top dead centre. otherwise it is incorrect. Check the marks again to be sure that no mistake Checking TDC markings has been made. The timing of the engine is dependent If the manufacturer's original on knowing where the true top dead timing marks are incorrect, the situa- center (TDC) point of the engine is. If tion will have to be remedied. Note there is error here, all other degree that a pointer can be bent slightly to The sort of diagram you will make to show markings are inaccurate, but not reposition it, while a bolted on scale various degree markings for the crank- necessarily useless if the degree of can be repositioned. Alternatively, the shaft pulley. By placing the pulley face- inaccuracy can be established. To front pulley can be moved around the down on the diagram, the marks can be avoid any confusion the TDC point crankshaft by making an offset key, or accurately transferred to the pulley. must be checked. If the engine is the front pulley timing mark can be being assembled this is a relatively braised up and a new one made in the easy task. correct position. If the engine is assembled, and in the car, the procedure is a little more Marking crankshaft damper/ complicated but TDC can still be pulley accurately found. The method in- To ensure complete accuracy, the volves the use of some resin core damper/front pulley should be solder which is about 3mm(l/8in) in removed from the engine (it can be diameter. The solder is inserted marked with a reasonable degree of through the sparkplug hole so that it accuracy while still on the engine). The will become wedged between the top first thing that has to be done is to of the piston crown and the cylinder measure the diameter of the damper/ head as the piston nears TDC. With front pulley. the solder across the top of the piston Draw a circle the diameter of the the crankshaft is turned clockwise damper on to a piece of paper using a manually (plugs out) towards TDC. In compass. Use a protractor to mark on fact, this is a dead stop method as the the circumference of the circle 38 piston is not able to get to TDC advance degrees and then the idle because of the solder. The solder is advance degrees. This will give accu- soft and will not damage anything yet rate dimensions which can be trans- it will not crush unless force is applied ferred to the damper/front pulley using to the crankshaft. engineer's dividers. This process is Once the piston contacts the reasonably accurate (within 1 degree solder, mark, with a white marking usually). A pair of dividers being set to the correct pen. the damper/front pulley adjacent distance as per the diagram. - to the fixed pointer or TDC line on the Permanent advance degree block/timing cover. marking removed and final markings are Now turn the engine anti-clock- The crankshaft damper/pulley is checked by placing the damper or