Date:         Mon, 7 May 2001 20:37:52 EDT
Reply-To:     FrankGRUN@aol.com
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Frank Grunthaner <FrankGRUN@aol.com>
Subject:      Re: I-4 conversion timing problem - no problem!
Comments: To: kitzmann@exis.net, WarmerWagen@aol.com
Content-Type:  text/plain; charset="US-ASCII"

Gentlemen,

I have been rather surprised at the responses received over the issue of
timing an I-4 conversion using the diesel bellhousing! Read Bentley
(worthless collection of shop notes masquerading as a shop manual)! It is
just as important to know the location of TDC in the diesel application as
for any gas engine. Now the following applies to any conversion that used the
original diesel flywheel and bellhousing in the conversion.

Referring to the Bentley (same info in any manual that treats the diesel,
e.g., the early Clymers, Chiltons, Motors etc.) in section 13.20  (Figure
13-597) you will see the TDC mark alignment through the bell housing
inspection port. Using this as a hard reference, you can go to the front
pulley, and observe the arrow alignment to pulley cast in the plastic belt
guard. After confirming this alignment rotate the pulley slowly to line up 6
degrees or your pleasure, then go back to the flywheel with chisel. Whack!
Now you have an easily accessible timing mark. I actually did the marking on
the bench before I put the engine in. I marked the flywheel edge in 5 degree
increments up to 35 degrees so I could follow the advance curve. I always use
a 12 volt powered light for brightness, but I'm too cheap to buy a dial-in.

Frank Grunthaner