Amazon: Newbie question - TDC issue

[SE10 Amazon]

Dear All,

New member here......

Randomly just inherited a 1970 Volvo Amazon P130, with a B20B Engine.

Have gone round and done regular service items and decided to buy a 123 Ignition to make life easier (so I thought) for the car to be used regularly by my sister.

Oil Change
Oil Filter
New Leads
New Plugs
New Coil
New Battery
New 123 Dizzy

Now, I am struggling to get her to fire. Got a great spark and everything is working electronically on the car, but i feel that the 123 Dizzy is wrongly set up.

First up, where can I find the timing marks on the block and pulley? I think I have found the one on the engine, but am struggling to line it up to anything?

what am i missing....................

I tried taking the rocker cover off and find TDC by using the valves (as advised by my father) but this didnt work either.

Could one of you wise folk please provide me with some advice, it would be much appreciated!

finally, spares, where is best apart from Brookhouse who have taken a large amount of my money that past three weeks!

I will post some photos later.

Cheers

Ed

[Volvo_133]

The bottom pulley has the degrees stamped on it. Maybe your pulley will need cleaning to find them. Looking on the timing cover between 12 and 1 oclock above the pulley you will see an arrow/pointer cast into the timing cover.

[SE10 Amazon]

Originally Posted by Volvo_133

The bottom pulley has the degrees stamped on it. Maybe your pulley will need cleaning to find them. Looking on the timing cover between 12 and 1 oclock above the pulley you will see an arrow/pointer cast into the timing cover.

Thank you!!

I will attack it with a wire brush tonight and take some photos......

[Ron Kwas]

Ed;

Welcome to this forum!

A simple rag might do it too, to clean off the edge of the Crankpulley in order to be able to see those Timing Marks...also locate the corresponding pointer cast into the Timing Cover. Those are of critical importance to you...and combined with the information here: http://www.sw-em.com/Volvo%20Ignitio...%20Scratch.htm ...should get you firing, and at the correct time!

Good hunting from Connecticut!

[Faust]

You say “struggling to fire” do you mean it WON’T start or it starts and runs badly?

If it runs a bit, then you’ve got the firing order wrong/you have an issue with timing. If it won't start at all, then the issue may be elsewhere - did the car run OK before you did the work you mention?

Is the firing order correct? It needs to be 1, 3, 4, 2 (no.1 lead needs to goes at the 5 o clock position on your dizzy cap as you look at it from above – no. 1 cylinder is at the front of the engine). To set the static timing, no 1 needs to be at TDC with the rotor arm pointing towards no 1 plug lead. Both valves need to be closed on no. 1.

Following that, are you sure you’ve not got the dizzy 180 degrees out?

Volvo 133 & Ron are right about the timing marks – have a good look and you’ll see ‘em.

Not got 123 system fitted, but I was led to believe that when you install them, a green LED lights up to show that you have it in the correct position (at least it did on Wheeler Dealers! Think it was the Jag XJ Couple edition). Perhaps start from scratch and see if that works? You could always put the old system back on to see if that resolves the issue. (I know it goes against the bloke code, but you should always read the instructions on a bit of kit like the 123 system!).

You are getting fuel?

Are the plugs gapped correctly? This is crucial as B20s seem to be sensitive to the gap being spot on (at least mine is!).

Be advised that B20s can be a bugger to start if you tried numerous attempts as the bores/plugs can get fouled – whip the plugs out, turn the engine over to clear the cylinders, heat the plugs up with a blow torch, re-install and try again.

Spares: Skandix & Nordicar are pretty good for spares, but I normally use Brookhouse. Simon is a top bloke and it’s good to support traders in the UK if you can.

Mike

[arcturus]

Yes, line up your timing marks on pulley and slowly turn dizy until green light shows. If i remember correctly static is about 10*. without looking it up i think timing should be about 25/30* at 1500rpm so put a dab of tippex on that mark for strobe. Someone else will correct my numbers

[SE10 Amazon]

And this is why i love forums full of knowledge!

Thanks everyone, keep it coming

Ed

[Volvorama]

Don't forget that on B18/B20 the rotor arm rotates anticlockwise unlike many other vehicles, so it's 1-3-4-2 in that order but:
......1...4
......3...2
Looking at the distributor cap from above

[Ron Kwas]

Mark;

HUH?

I'm not sure what you mean to point out, but engine firing order must be consistent with Ignition Wires at Dist Cap (CCW!).

Please look at this picture...the first one I found where the firing order and Ignition Wire location on the Dist Cap is clear:

Source: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_CFxDZNhLPJ...0/P1170828.JPG

Cheers

[Derek UK]

Is the firing order correct? It needs to be 1, 3, 4, 2 (no.1 lead needs to goes at the 5 o clock position on your dizzy cap as you look at it from above – no. 1 cylinder is at the front of the engine). To set the static timing, no 1 needs to be at TDC with the rotor arm pointing towards no 1 plug lead. Both valves need to be closed on no. 1. "
Wrong.........
See Ron's picture - Plug lead #1 is at about 10 o'clock not 5 o'clock. With the cap off and at TDC the rotor should point at the notch in the edge of the dizzy case at 11 o'clock. Moving the dizzy body about 5º anticlockwise (10º of timing) should get you a start. Note TDC at #1 is with both rockers "rocking" i.e. both valves closed.