VCCA Home Forums TECHNICAL - 1945 AND NEWER 1949-1954 Ignition Timing

Mr. Mack:
Last fall I had a valve job done on my 50 chevy 216, the shop that completed the valve job also adjusted the intake and exhaust valves at the time. My question is do I need to adjust the timing and if so acording to my shop manual the setting should be, 5 degrees B.U.D.C. what does the B.U.D.C. stand for?
Being retired I have plenty of time to review your web site, and I sure like what I see.
Thanks Dupie :rolleyes:

Dupie,

BUDC = "Before Upper Dead Center"

Chevradioman: What is the small ball pressed into the fly-wheel for if I need to use the arrow as a guide for timing?

The small steel ball on the flywheel is the actual timing mark and, with a timing light, you align the ball on the flywheel with the pointer on the bell housing. That is how you set your timing. :eek:

NOW UP HERE IN THE GOOD OLD N.W., MOST OF THE OLDTIMERS SET THE TIMING BY SOUND, AND I HAVE SEEN ALOT OF WELL TUNED CHEVYS, I DONT KNOW ABOUT THOSE OTHER BRANDS OF CARS, SO WHAT IS WRONG WITH DOING IT THE GOOD OLD FASHIONED WAY. ALL YOU DO IS SET THE HEARING AID ON FULL VOLUME AND GO TO IT???????????? :arrow: :arrow: :arrow:

My reproduction shop manual for 49-54 chevs has information in it directed to the shop owner who does not own a timing light, it consists of using a vacumn guage or just by sound and road test. I prefer to use a light and have found that at the altitude I run 90% of the time the 5 degree setting is best.

Dupie, JYD is right The timing light is attached to the number one spark plug, and a good ground, some of the newer lights are made for 12vdc power and they may be too dim to see the small shiny steel ball, I set a 12 v battry near and use it for the power to the light, the old lights fire off the spark plug and work fine. the bold note in the shop manual does say that 50 models are timed at 5* (I think the ball is set accordingly on your flywheel) if it is the original flywheel. PLEASE remember that the points must be properly set in order that the timeing will be set correctly, and the octane selector (the index on the vacuum advance) is set to zero, zero is the only setting I ever use anytime.
hint: before setting the timeing I rotate the steel ball to the mark by manually turning the engine (plugs removed will make this easier) and paint the hole, and arrow (looks like a nail sticking down in the center of the oval shaped hole or timeing port.) and steel ball with some white spray paint, then wipe the paint off the ball, leaving it shiny, the timeing light will pick it up nicely. Also remember that the mark will also be in the window 180* out but it will only be seen with the light when # 1 plug fires.
You won't need to use ANY other manual just the correct shop manual RS-34-SM is the one I use, it is a reproduction of the original.good luck and be sure to tighten the distributer clamp when you get the timeing set.

HI MR MACK. ITS SURE NICE TO SEE SOMEONE WITH YOUR EXPERTISE, HELPING FELLOW CHEVY GUYS OUT WITH THEIR QUESTIONS. YOU AND THE JUNKYARD DOG DO A FINE JOB ON THIS SITE AND I HOPE THAT SOMEDAY I MAY TRY AND STUMP YOU GUYS ON A CAR QUESTION, BUT I DOUBT THAT WILL HAPPEN WITH YOUR KNOWLEDGE. NOW WITH ALL THAT BUILD UP,DONT LET THIS GIVE YOU TO BIG OF A EGO. :) :)

Don, no expertise, I just know where to read, and I spend all my parts money on durned books!

MR MACK, YOU MEAN WEES HAVE TO READ DE BOOKS TO WORK ON DE CARS?????????????? THE DOG JUST LOOKS AT PICTURES WHILE HES SITTING, WELL WE WONT GO THERE,??????????????? YA :arrow: :arrow:

Mr Mack: Thanks for the information, I did some further checking on the casting markings and or numbers on the fly-wheel and they are original. I used my Master Parts Catalog 29 / 50 casting numbers was correct and the casting date indicated October 28,1950 therefore the timeing marks should be in the correct position. Thanks again to all who took the time to responed to my question about timeing.

You are welcome, anytime.