Quote:
Originally Posted by lust4speed
Actually should have went with majority on this one. You can get somewhat close, but your degree of error eyeballing things is at best about plus or minus six degrees. At best it will be close enough to get it started so you can properly time it.
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I agree...should have left it alone. It will never be exactly like the rebuilder had it set no matter what I did anyway. The good news is that this was the second time it was rebuilt. Fortunately, the first builder had the distributor installed correctly and he left aligning marks on the distributor and the engine so it is probably very close. Will worry about that later.
Thank you ALL for the great advice.
This engine has been a nightmare. Twice I asked for a factory correct rebuild (all numbers matching) and supplied both builders all the correct hardware, bolts, paint etc. The first builder painted it with run of the mill black paint he had lying around his shop, didn't have hardened valve seats installed like I requested (he said it didn't need them), used his own bolts he had lying around his shop, and messed up the rocker arm assembly to where metal shavings were in the oil, etc. Fortunately, the second rebuilder found this out and changed everything out before it did any damage. The second rebuild was supposed to be a simple freshening up of the engine to give it the original factory look. After finding how messed up it was, I decided to give it a complete second rebuild which cost another $7500.
The second builder also used some of his own bolts and didn't paint the engine after most of the components were installed like the factory did so I have to do a lot of touch up painting. Not to mention, he had my NOS harmonic balancer re-sleeved without asking among other things and the second builder got far less horsepower and torque!
These things are really not big deals in and of themselves...but it wasn't what the customer wanted and paid for! $15,000 wrapped up into an engine that is still not done yet!