TC2 Restauration Project - A complete beginner's experience

  • Ok, there we go ...

    For a correct ignition timing certain details have to be fulfilled ... I am sorry I have not found better photos yet, but I try to describe it a little better.


    The piston has to be in top dead centre (TDC) position AND

    Both valves have to be closed AND

    the distributor rotor has to point in the direction of the cable to the right spark plug

    AT THE SAME TIME !!

    In your photos showing the camshaft pulley the little arrow is (as you have written) not in the correct position. This could only have the following reasons:

    1. The crankshaft is not in the right position OR
    2. The timing belt is not installed correctly, damaged or the wrong type.

    First step: Turn the engine with a ring spanner or ratched clockwise on the crankshaft pulley until this pulley is in the TDC position. If you look at the front of your engine the tdc mark on the crankshaft pulley is the leftmost mark on the rim of the inner pulley.


    Here is the index on the engine block for the correct TDC position of your crankshaft.

    Would maybe a workshop manual in English help?


    Then, if the crankshaft sits correctly, check the camshaft pulley again. Where is the little arrow now?


    I think you have the correct type of timing belt because the engine once used to work correctly until it suddenly failed.


    So please check first if it is possible to turn the engine until the crankshaft pulley is on its TDC mark and at the same time the camshaft pulley arrow is exactly on its mark on the front of the cylinder head then.

    Afterwards we will take care of your dizzy ...

  • I’m off to work but hopefully I go back to the garage in the afternoon.


    So if I understand correctly, the little arrow should not be turned straight down but to the aluminium nose.


    The aluminium nose is the TDC on the marks from my photograph?


    I have the Haynes manual in english but to someone who’s doing it for the first time it might as well be in chinese 🤣🤣


    Or did I understand it wrong?


    I tried to draw it. Does the little arrow always have to be at the bottom or does it have to look at the TDC. Or is the bottom also the TDC?

  • Please look at post #31 and then look at your engine to match picture, marks and pulleys.

  • Yes, glad my picture was clear enough ... For the beginning it is sufficient to check / adjust Step 1 and Step 2 to find out whether the timing belt sits correctly on your engine. For the rest I will give you a few more hints then ...


    Step by step, I think you will learn a lot in the next time ... :grin

  • So everything has to be exact as on the drawing. Okay I understand, thank you

    Cool! And now: set cable from Zylinder 1 on the position on your cap hows next to the distributor finger. 1 3 4 2 clockwise

  • Yes, glad my picture was clear enough ... For the beginning it is sufficient to check / adjust Step 1 and Step 2 to find out whether the timing belt sits correctly on your engine. For the rest I will give you a few more hints then ...


    Step by step, I think you will learn a lot in the next time ...

    okay so im just now at the garage. While the little arrow is proper the crankshaft is also at TDC. The distributor is at the position as shown on the photo.


    Should I take out the dissy and adjust it as the photo you put so all 3 Are in line?


    If the dissy is wrong that is probably my fault as i remember taking it out and Spinning the bottom to see how it works, without bringing it back in position

  • So you have found that your Timing Belt is ok, crankshaft and camshaft are in the right position / relation to each other, very good!

    Next step.

    Do NOT take out the dizzy yet. If you put a cap onto the dizzy is there a terminal vor a spark plug cable near the tip of its rotor?

    Then you can put the cable for cylinder #1 on this terminal and clockwise the cable for cylinder #3 on the next terminal, then (next terminal) the cable for cylinder #4 and then finally the cable for cylinder #2.

    Next step will be to loosen the clamp screw of your dizzy a bit and turn the dizzy a little until the terminal for cylinder #1 sits in the arrowed position in my picture below. Tighten the clamp screw again in a way that the dizzy can still be turned with a little "hand force" for fine adjustment.

    The engine should start now and you can fine tune your adjustment while it is warming up. Only turn the dizzy slowly and just in small angles.

    A picture comes in a minute or two ...

  • There isn’t a plug or terminal near the tip. It is between terminals 2 and 1.


    Edit: I’m Getting good spark on all 4 spark plugs.


    Edit 2: i did Jorgs test and checked the ignition coil positive with - on battery negative. Im Getting a 13.5 (Set on 200 ohms) with ignition off. If the ignition is on, there is no reading.

    2 Mal editiert, zuletzt von Zanzibar ()

  • There isn’t a plug or terminal near the tip. It is between terminals 2 and 1.


    Edit: I’m Getting good spark on all 4 spark plugs.


    Edit 2: i did Jorgs test and checked the ignition coil positive with - on battery negative. Im Getting a 13.5 (Set on 200 ohms) with ignition off. If the ignition is on, there is no reading.

    Gude

    Good job! When the spark is there, fine. @ edit 2 it was a test with the blue tester in your picture or Voltage check with multimeter on DC not ohm

  • Yes ... the distributor position needs a little fine tuning. When I look at your picture you have to loosen the clamp screw at the bottom of the dizzy and then turn the dizzy a tad counterclockwise and it should start.

  • Gude

    Good job! When the spark is there, fine. @ edit 2 it was a test with the blue tester in your picture or Voltage check with multimeter on DC not ohm

    I did it with a multimeter but ohm. I will try after work with DC. The blue tester from my photo failed to give any reading at all.

    Yes ... the distributor position needs a little fine tuning. When I look at your picture you have to loosen the clamp screw at the bottom of the dizzy and then turn the dizzy a tad counterclockwise and it should start.

    Aha. So the rotor stays in place but the distributor turns.


    Basically it should Look something like this?


    I turn the entire device a bit counterclockwise, put the cap on so that rotor is pointing on position 1. Connect the leads and pray 😁

  • Exactly, thats it!

    Keep it as arrowed, a little bit off the middle of the rotor contact tip. Watch out for the correct firing order. The dizzy rotates clockwise and starting with cyl.1 in clockwise direction the next terminal on the cap is cylinder3, then cylinder 4 and finally cylinder 2.

    Have you got your timing light yet? (If not I would not drive the car yet.)

    Another hint: The engine will probably run lumpy until you connect the rubber hose from the vacuum canister on the dizzy leading to the carburettor.

    See yellow line in picture below:

  • No timing light yet. Didn’t order it as im looking for something under 70€ and not sure which options are reliable for the price…

  • There has been a thread about timing lights shortly on this forum and the recommendation was posted for a certain Equus model that I use myself. As this model has an additional ignition advance setting it is a very usable device for every work around ignition timing (measuring timing, including additional advance function, dwell, tachometer, voltage) !! The Equus is more expensive than other, more basic devices but very robust and, due to the versatile features it is highly recommendable and well worth the price, because you get in fact 3 devices in one. With your electronic ignition module you will not really need the dwell feature but if you use points it is mandatoy.

    Maybe someone who recently bought it could let us know about the current price ... if you order via Voelkner it is around 110€ ... (see link above).


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