IGNITION Timing Marks

[Rick Allen]

A little bit confused about the correct mark on the harmonic balancer for the ignition timing. 

I'm reassembling my R2 engine after the Machine Shop work, which was completely apart when I bought it so I don't know exactly how everything was to begin with.

The harmonic balancer has two faint marks on it, one seems to be halfway across the width, the other seems to be more in the middle but not completely end to end of the width, they are 180° opposite each other.

The one with the F3 next to it seems to be less defined or not as deep impression as the one opposite it but that's the one (f3) that seems to line up with the degree indicator provided I put everything together right as far as the cam/crank gears Etc., neither mark is really etched into the balancer as I would have expected it to be in order to see when timing the ignition.

Hoping someone out there could give me a definite answer based on their experience I have included pictures of the balancer and the marks on it,,,

 

[A0136]

This is the damper from a 63 R2.   The short silver sharpe mark lines up with the key way. 
It is best to check the accuracy of the marks. They can be checked with the positive stop method or with a dial indicator. 
I use the positive stop method before putting the heads on.  
 

 

Edited Friday at 11:00 PM by A0136

[Rick Allen]

1 hour ago, A0136 said:

This is the damper from a 63 R2.   The short silver sharpe mark lines up with the key way. 
It is best to check the accuracy of the marks. They can be checked with the positive stop method or with a dial indicator. 
I use the positive stop method before putting the heads on.  
 

 

Thank you for your reply.  Even without the silver paint, your G2 mark is much deeper and more defined than the marks on mine.  Do you have a mark 180 degrees opposite of the mark you show, it may be very faint as mine are?,,,

[A0136]

There are no other marks on the damper I have.   

[Nelson]

I was having trouble timing one of my Avantis the other day. It just wouldn’t run unless it was up around 50 degrees advanced at idle. I thought the outer ring had slipped on the balancer . I took a wooded paint stir stick and split it then put it partially into the number one cylinder and bumped the engine over with a remote push button switch. I was able to find top dead center and was able to verify the balancer was clocked correctly while on the combustion stroke. You might try this method, it’s straight forward. Just make sure your rotor is close to number one plug wire and you are on the compression stroke.