Classic cars forum & vehicle restoration.

[ukdave2002]

Want to fire the mga up for the first time it has an electronic distributor, any tips on an initial static timing?

I'm thinking of turning the engine over on the starter motor, no fuel without plugs in cylinders 2,3&4 and timing with a strobe?

Dave

[Farmer John]

Hello Dave.
6-8 degrees static is fine for starting up. With electronic ignition there is a complication in deciding ( by looking in the distributor ) at what point the spark is initiated, but I think your electrics ability is up to that.

John

[ukdave2002]

[Farmer John]

There will be a switch to make and break the circuit which will have a measurable current. Generally the cam replacement will have a number of fins. As the leading edge of the fin intersects with the leading edge of the sensor, that is when the spark will occur.
John

[ukdave2002]

Hi john

You are thinking of the dizzy's with optical sensors, my dizzy is hall effect. The dizzy needs to be turning to trigger hence the challenge for an initial static setting

Dave

[welshrover]

i just turn the engine over and turn the dizzy at the same time until it starts .if youve got a starter solonoid with the button on its easy ,or get somebody to turn the key. once running use a strobe light to set timing .5 degrees as stated before its the same as the oxford/cambridge etc.it works with electronic or points

[ukdave2002]

That's more or less what I did; I figured out where it needed to be within +/- 10 degrees, then adjusted it to get maximum revs before timing with a strobe:
http://www.oldclassiccar.co.uk/forum/phpbb/phpBB2/viewtopic.php?t=6134&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30

I was being careful as its a new tight engine, mixture only roughly set....with the wrong combination of timing and fuel mixture a new engine can get very hot very quickly

Dave