Is there any known method that doesn't require me to stand on my head in the engine compartment to see the back of the fan to time the car. I'm tired of bruised ribs...

-Aaron

4" mirror propped up on the fan case at a 45* angle and a strong light shinning on the mirror. That reflects light down into the hole and you can see the timing marks. timing light is visible in the mirror doing the same trick. That's how I do it.

I have used this method and it works.

But usually I just lean over the engine compartment, it is uncomfortable and awkward but only take a minute or two.

Jim

Paint a line on the edge of the fan directly across from the timing mark.

I recently was cursing this process myself, for the longest time I had simply been resting my articulating pen mirror on the oil fill cap to see, finally broke down & bought a decent mirror.
The other minor bitch is the supposed notch on flywheel's to confirm TDC, Ya right! after 40+ yrs 5 out of 7 cars I checked on hand had no Notch~.

Great idea. Porsche should of thought of that.

Oh hey since you are in Pasadena there is a cool car show this Friday the 28th at Lake Ave. Church. Nice environment, free bbq, and cool cars.


-Ed

Ed,

Do you have a link to that show?

Classic Car Nights - Lake Avenue Church

Cheers man

-Ed

Easy! Buy a bottle of Whiteout and mark all three timing marks on the fan where you can see them.

If you have dual carbs, you can push the rear tin back and use the TDC mark on the flywheel to set your timing. Of course then you also need a variable timing light. It's a lot easier than trying to peek into the fan shroud.

I think that is a TERRIBLE idea. It has the name FIREWALL for a reason.

Been there, done that, fixed the burned 914. I won't have a hole in a Firewall.

4 or 6? 4 cyl case has a hole on the passenger side of what I'd call the bell housing, so you can put timing marks on the back face of the flywheel that are seen through the round hole

No different from the access hatch on a VW bus, type 3, type 4....
I'd agree if it was FG or thin aluminum but it's all metal and bolted in. In fact my hatch is overkill as I used two firewalls and sandwiched/welded them together double thick.

In a fire if you're still in there by the time it started breaching the hatch you're already in a lot of trouble, hatch or not.

And while you're at it mark the flywheel too.