Hello all,
I have a 1973 914 FI, and it hasnt run in a few years. we got it running fine, but we need to adjust the tuning. so my question to all of you is, which fin do u adjust the tuning to, and to wat RPM's? we just got a dwell meter, so we are gonna test the angle in the distributor, but we dont no which fin is TDC..how do u figure it out??

On the flywheel, there is a notch open above the transmission where youcan feel a machined line in the flywheel (obviously you cannot see this with the engine in the car, rotate the engine until you can feel the line. That is either TDC on #1 for the firing OR exhaust stroke (remember that the engine spins twice for every revolution).

Another approach is looking at your fan, remove the plastic screwed in plug in the fan housing and you can see a machined line on at the base of the cooling fins (you need to look down the hole towards the rear of the car). Again, the line will represent TDC on #1 for the firing OR the exhaust stroke. A good check to see if you are on the firing stroke is to pop the valve cover off of #1 and feel if both intake and exhaust rockers are slack, if not - rotate the engine another 360).

There are some good pics on this Pelican Tech Article.

good luck

Pelican Parts

You need to know what motor you have in it.

1.7's are "timed" at 3500 RPM and require a dwell of (IIRC) 46-49.

I cannot speak to the rest... because I don't have one.


BTW timing is at 27 degrees BTC.

If you don't have haynes manual get one (as worthless as it might seem)

2.0L are timed the same.

and