Engine/Transmission (1994 - 1998) confused about timing

[bdcraig]

I put a new headgasket on my 95 w270,000 miles and knocked it out of time, I guess when we were barring the engine over to adjust the valves. I bought a timing kit and am checking the timing to see where it is at. I'm a little confused on zeroing the gauge. I first set the small dial between 7and 9. Then I turned the engine counterclockwise until the large dial stopped moving. The small dial was at 4. Then it says to zero the gauge. Do I set the small dial to zero or rotate the outer ring to put the 0 at the large dial needle? If it is the latter when I return the engine back to TDC the lift is at 8 on the small dial and 0 on the large one. It is a CPL 1968 pump which at 4. 9 would be 16 BTDC. That would make mine at close to 23 or 24. Surely I am doing something wrong that someone can correct me on.



Thanks,

Brian

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

BCraig, you zeroed your gauge properly. I suggest not paying attention to the little dial, I never do. Just keep track of how many times the needle advances one full denomination (10 on the big dial, 1 on the little one). If your needle advances by 4 full denominations and ends at say 5. 7 then that's 4. 57 millimeters.



On my gauge it counts 0-10 twice, so each full 360-degree sweep of the needle is 2 millimeters plunger lift. So when timing my truck the needle makes two full revolutions then continues on to 8. 5, meaning 4. 85mm lift (15. 75 degrees).



Anyway you said the little dial started at 4 and went to 8, and if the big dial ended up right back at 0 then you have only 4. 00mm lift - a very retarded 11. 0 degrees of timing. Always back the engine up and do it again a couple more times to verify you are getting good numbers and understanding what's happening. Basically you are figuring out how many degrees of crank rotation pass from the time the plunger begins to move up (ie when your gauge starts moving) until the engine's piston reaches TDC.



Vaughn

 

[bdcraig]

Thanks,



When I first did it I came up with 11 degrees but that was just luck because I see now I was reading the dial wrong all the way around. I felt the timing was retarded because of the way the truck acted immediately after I put the head gasket on (hard to start, more white smoke and for longer periods of time). If it had been that far advanced it would have been popping and cracking. I also have a quick question about it being a 1968 cpl CA auto pump. Were these on most early 95 auto's? My truck came from Oklahoma.



Thanks again for the help,

Brian

 

[Vaughn MacKenzie]

If your engine was at 24 degrees it would rattle pretty good.



I have no idea whether the CPL was used for part or all of model year '95 Cali auto trucks.