I was trying to set timing tonight. I found the red mark on the fan and assumed it to be 0* (TDC) so I used the template from the tech article at the Bird and marked 7.5* to the driver's side of the factory mark. I pulled the vac lines and plugged them and then timed to the mark I made. When I put the vac lines back on, Idle drops and timing goes to the factory 0* mark actually a degree or two less than 0*. Is this what is supposed to happen? I read that the red mark on the 1.8 is actuall the 7.5* timing mark and I should just time to that mark but as much as my idle dropped when I did it the other way, I suspect the car would not run at all if I lose another 7.5*. Any help?

This helped me. Time to the 7.5 with hoses disconnected and plugged.

you did it right except the that you made it 15 degrees before top dead center.

it should retard at idle and as soon as you open the throttle, it will advance it self back to 7.5 btdc to give you the advance early for the get up and go, when you coast down it will retard it to prevent pinging

BTW if you timing light is an advance model you can do the timing from tdc, and then check it at 3000 rpm, to be in the area of 30 btdc

and only one side of the vac canister should be hooked to any thing, in the word of DD you can put a hose on it that goes nowhere just so people dont go hay you missing a hose

I will try that tomorrow but I strongly suspect that when I reconnect the vacuum lines to the distributor, the engine WILL stall. as it is, the engine runs somewhat poorly the way I timed it. With 7.5* less advance, I'll be amazed if it runs at all. It probably won't even start. My engine doesn't have all those marks either. Just one distinct red one.

yes it might stall, but you might need to open the idle screw some more to keep it running,

and you said vac lineS, it should only be one, the one on the dizzy side IIRC

remember that at WOT there is only cent. advance no retard

You time it to the red mark at idle speed, hose (s) disconnected and plugged. Adjust the idle air screw if needed to keep it going.

Scott...

On a 74 1.8L, there ARE 2 vacuum lines coming off the throttle body going to the distributor. Both need to be hooked up for it to work correctly.

That is correct. My car is bone-stock (with exception of the minor upgrades that I have made myself) and it has two vac lines.

QUOTE (ClayPerrine @ Feb 23 2005, 05:30 AM)

On a 74 1.8L, there ARE 2 vacuum lines coming off the throttle body going to the distributor. Both need to be hooked up for it to work correctly.

Not quite correct. On a 74 1.8, there may be two vacuum fittings on the throttle body. (Ditto on the all of the 74+ cars, for that matter.) If there are two vacuum fittings on the throttle body, they both go to the distributor. If there is only one, then it goes to the retard fitting on the distributor dashpot (that is the one that points back toward the distributor body). On those cars, the factory put a piece of hose on the advance fitting and stuffed it down underneath the plenum so people wouldn't freak out about having an un-connected fitting.

--DD