turned my distributor by accident...how to tell where to turn it back ?, My distributor is loose...how can I tell where to tighten it without a timing light? Options

[second wind]

Hello out there....due to rain and such have not driven my '73 2.0 very much lately so when my truck needed to go to the mechanic I drove my 914 around for a day or so.....I noticed it had a weird idle so I thought must be a vacuum leak.....sure enough I found the vacuum hose to the distributor had fallen off....when I went to put it back on the distributor twisted and I see it can be turned a inch in either direction....how can I determine where to tighten it without a timing light? Can I listen for a sweet spot and call it good? Do tell..?? Thank you very much!
gg

[914_teener]

Hello out there....due to rain and such have not driven my '73 2.0 very much lately so when my truck needed to go to the mechanic I drove my 914 around for a day or so.....I noticed it had a weird idle so I thought must be a vacuum leak.....sure enough I found the vacuum hose to the distributor had fallen off....when I went to put it back on the distributor twisted and I see it can be turned a inch in either direction....how can I determine where to tighten it without a timing light? Can I listen for a sweet spot and call it good? Do tell..?? Thank you very much!
gg

Either rent or buy a timing light. Then...learn how to time the car.

Don't quess.

[GregAmy]

...how can I determine where to tighten it without a timing light?

Accurately? You can't.

[technicalninja]

Not easily without years of experience.
I've got 40 and I'd bet the light is far more accurate than my ears are.

Just buy a light!

Amazon has a bunch starting at 25. Looks like they get good (adjustable advance and tach) about $75.

[emerygt350]

If you have a vacuum gauge it can get you in the ballpark but you really need the light. Super easy. Do you know how to tighten the distributor?

[Jack Standz]

Use a timing light.

Set timing at the point appropriate for your motor, including any modifications that may have been made, with the vacuum line disconnected.

Also, it looks like you probably have a distributor with points (has a vacuum line, but some electronic distributors have them, like a Mallory Unilite). So, you really need to either set the points gap or dwell. So use either a set of feeler gauges or a dwell meter.

[technicalninja]

Jacks RIGHT! (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif) (IMG:style_emoticons/default/agree.gif)

Just did another search. This is the light to get as it also has a dwell meter.
The dwell meter is basically useless unless you have old school points and condenser at which point it's PRICELESS!

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000EVU8J8?ref=em..._i_atc&th=1

If you're still running the stock distributor that is the light to get!

It will work fine with modern stuff too. (80-some early 2000s).

Nothing works with "coil on plug" but you don't set timing on those anyway.

Most modern engines have lost the timing marks as well!

[second wind]

Thank you all very much.....I have a Pertronix electronic ignition and just hoping I can tighten it down and drive to my local Porsche guru for a dial in....I am just a half an inch off in one direction or the other....not to circumvent the actual timing adjustment but in the meantime someone must have an ear for this kind of thing..?? I do know how to tighten the distributor.....I guess the range for timing is 28 degrees to 32 degrees....I recall 27 degrees....what say you out there ??
Thank you very much,
gg

[Front yard mechanic]

Just look for the previous grease spot

[Jack Standz]

Best wishes for a successful fix!

Not to be snarky, but, maybe ask your local Porsche guru? You can guess at it and maybe get it to run ok by turning the distributor while it's running, but that's not a good long term plan.

He/she should know. Because once you get it to the guru, what will he/she set the timing at? Maybe we're overthinking the problem, but to set the timing correctly, there's some more information needed. Unless everything was bone stock. But, we know that's not the case as the distributor is setup with electronic ignition. Maybe it's an 009 distributor? Or an 050?

As an example, our 2056cc motor runs well at 14 initial and somewhere around 28 to 30 degrees all-in. Other motors like different settings and may want a different advance curve (on Mallory distributors you change with different colored springs). Our 1.8 liter motor liked something around 8 degrees initial advance. But, gurus know all this. (IMG:style_emoticons/default/smile.gif)