65 289 new rebuild, timing indicator 180 degrees off

[KC2DSS]

I just rebuilt my 289 engine, it has ran only a few minuets, when I put the timing light on it I could not find a chalk mark that I put on the TDC mark on the harmonic balancer, I then put a + and a - chalk mark about two inches from TDC to see if they showed up - no they did not..I crawled under the car with the engine at idle and they were 180 degrees off...How is that possible the Harmonis balancer is keyed - only goes one way..And yes the engine is running good - I can not have the dist off 180 degrees or it would not run...Whats wrong here?

[69RestoRod]

Depending on the year the timing marks are on opposite sides. Depends on what year balancer was used with what year timing chain cover setup. Is it a 3 bolt or 4 bolt balancer? 69-70 had the mark on the passenger side where 71-73 had it on the driver's side due to the changed side of the water pump outlet. Not real sure on the 66's since I've never had one.

[Gas_Pumps]

If the cam shaft was installed 180 degrees out, I think that would happen. I would not affect the engine operation however. The timing mark on the cam should point at the crank and the one on the crank gear should point up at the cam gear. If they were installed with the cam gear mark pointing up, they would be 180 out. Someone correct me if I am wrong. (page 8-64 of 66 manual)

[KC2DSS]

I have the original 3 bolt 65 balancer, and I assembled the engine myself and I made sure the cam to crank marks did point at each other just as the previous post said, the only strange thing was that the cam had a "dot detent" type of mark..I guess since it is running ok - I will leave it as is, I timed the engine to the highest idle speed with the vacume advance plugged.

[pabear89]

You have the orginal Bal,
The outer ring may have slipped 180 out.
Causing the miss mark of tdc.
bring number 1 to tdc and see where the mark is, it may be Time for a new one.

[johnpro]

If the cam shaft was installed 180 degrees out, I think that would happen.

There's no way to install a cam shaft 180 degrees out. Since the cam shaft turns once for every 2 revolutions of the crank, you can install the cam with the pin up or down, and it makes absolutely no difference.

Think of it this way ... without the cam, the pistons are just going up and down. They have no idea if they are going up on the compression stroke, or up on the exhaust stroke. The cam is what decides which it is.

The timing marks pass the pointer on both the exhaust and the compression stroke. The timing light only lights, however, when the plug fires, so it flashes once for each cam shaft revolution, or every other crank revolution.

[johnpro]

If it's a 3 bolt balancer, it's time for a new one. It has slipped way too far to be safe. All 3 point balancers have the marks in the same place, and none of the balancers have it 180 degrees different, or you'd have to be underneath the car to use a timing light.

The 4 bolt balancers have the timing marks about 70 - 100 degrees different, depending on the year. They would show in about the 10 o'clock or 11 o'clock position (again, depending on the year).

[KC2DSS]

I have another 3 bolt harmonic balance off a 67 289 mustang - it has a C8** marking instead of C5**, are all the three bolt balancers interchangable?

[camachinist]

Just for the heck of it, put your timing light pickup on the #4 plug wire and tell us what you see. I'm assuming you have the OEM 289 firing order and I'm also assuming that you are locating #1 on the pax side of the vehicle (LHD).

Pat

[KC2DSS]

The spark plug wires were switched, I tried to drive the car and there was no power like a plug wire was not hooked up , what was amazing here was how well it ran with the wires crossed in the garage...I have only gone about one mile..lot of things need adjusted....Thanks to everyone for the posts..