TO 20 Timing?

ajhbike

Member
I had to change the starter spring on a friends 20... Broken spring... And was told i had to pull the distributer to pull the starter (found out i didn't need to after of course). I was careful to take it out and put it back without advancing the gears...BUT it was doing some popping and burping when we finally started it up. I loosened the distributer and twisted it 1/4"and it got much better. Went a little further and it got a little worse so i put it where it sounded better. Only pops once when we give it the gas.
Is that a way to adjust it?
Is a pop and a little falter when revving maybe a carburetor issue?
 
Was it popping and farting before?
Was it even running?
Points are gapped at what?
Before you play with the defenseless carburetor, get the electrical straight first.
No, a bigger carburetor will not make it go fasss-ter or magically fix your electrical problems.
 
It ran great and consistent before, so i assume the points are good since we didn't touch them. I had removed the whole distributer and never opened the cap
I didn't say bigger carb. I asked whether that could be a contributor
 
You are probably just not timed correctly. To pull a distributor and put it back in the same place, you would have to mark the relationship between the distributor body and block, and take the cap off and mark the position of the rotor before you pull it out. This will let you know how to line everything up correctly when reinstalled (as long as the engine isn't moved while it's out). At this point you have it running so you probably aren't that far off. I would now adjust it using a timing light to get the timing correct using the service manual. If it's to retarded it can run hot, and if it's to advanced you can get pinging that can be destructive.
 
Phooey, I don't know how to do that so I will have to research it...plus I don't have the shop manual so I will have to figure that out too. Bummer
 
Setting the timing by ear is the most common method. The old low compression
engines are forgiving.

As long as it's not kicking back against the starter, or clattering under load,
it's pretty close. I usually advance it to the best, fastest idle, then back it
off just a little.

As for the occasional stumble, try backing the main jet adjustment (the large
knob) out 1/4 turn at a time. It should take sudden throttle without hesitation.
Keep up with the changes and you can always put it back if you don't like the
results.
 
Thanks.
How would one advance and retard? By slight twists of the distributor assembly like I did before?
 
The distributor shaft rotates C.C.W. So, to advance the spark, you would move the distributor body C.W. and of course to retard the spark you would move it C.C.W.
Make sure the plug wires are seated onto the cap towers. One or more may have come loose while you were working with it.
 

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