Distributor orientation 351w commander
Printed From: CorrectCraftFan.com
Category: Repairs and Maintenance
Forum Name: Engine Repair
Forum Discription: Engine problems and solutions
URL: http://www.CorrectCraftFan.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=50743
Printed Date: November-22-2024 at 7:39pm
Topic: Distributor orientation 351w commander
Posted By: steelynorm
Subject: Distributor orientation 351w commander
Date Posted: July-07-2022 at 6:10pm
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Long story short I bought this boat a year ago and still can not get it running well. Runs like crap under load. Super rough Is it possible my distributor is 180 degrees out? 351 commander right hand rotation.  |
Replies:
Posted By: steelynorm
Date Posted: July-07-2022 at 8:50pm
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My number one plug wire is at 5 o'clock most pictures i see should be at 110clock I am supsied my motor runs if it's 180 out? |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: July-07-2022 at 9:25pm
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When your #1 cylinder is at TDC on the compression stroke, with the cap off, look at where the rotor is pointing and put the cap back on. The tower that the rotor is aligned with will be your #1 cylinder. it could be any of the 8 towers on the cap depending on where the rotor is pointing. If it's in between 2 towers, loosen the hold down clamp and rotate the base till one tower lines up with the rotor. The possibility of it running 180 out is about zero plus or minus a little  Start with the easy stuff, like pull out your timing light and see what the timing is right now before doing or touching anything else
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Posted By: steelynorm
Date Posted: July-07-2022 at 9:42pm
| Okay thanks will check for tdc and get back to you all |
Posted By: MourningWood
Date Posted: July-07-2022 at 10:01pm
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Good advice to try the easy stuff- Also be sure you can easily see "TDC" or "0" on your dampener. It should be marked. Commander engines often used tape to 'mask off' that part of the dampener, paint the engine, and when the tape is removed, it reveals bare metal which, over time in a marine environment..... Clean and paint a nice line at the TDC mark with silver sharpie or white paint
------------- 1964 Dunphy X-55 "One 'N Dun" 'I measured twice, cut three times, and it's still too short!" |
Posted By: steelynorm
Date Posted: July-11-2022 at 12:41pm
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I found tdc Finding coorect timing marks another issue altogether. Super faint degree markings etched into pully so faint I am afraid I will rub them off. There are a TC and ATC clearly marked It looks like timing is set around 8-10 before tc. Took boat out yesterday fires up pretty easily except when hot. Lots of smoke emanating from valve cover area during hard starts. I have engine cover off at this time Engine sounds healthy and smooth in neutral when I accelerate throughout rpm range. When I put it in gear and under load sounds like a diesel motor? Valve cover says 6 degrees before tdc at what rpm? Thanks everyone for your assistance |
Posted By: Jonny Quest
Date Posted: July-11-2022 at 6:23pm
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Use a wire brush to clean off the harmonic balancer. Then wipe it down with gas on a rag or some acetone. Use a fine brush and paint the timing marks with fluorescent fingernail polish. I use the fluorescent yellow/green. Put a bit on the pointer for visibility. I paint the following lines: TDC 10 degrees 30 degrees 34 degrees This lets me easily see the advance at idle (10 degrees) and full advance at approx. 3,000 RPM on the timing light. I like to be between 32 and 34 degrees total advance on a SBF 351. JQ ------------- Current 2003 Ski Nautique 206 Limited Previous 2001 Ski Nautique Open Bow 1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow Aqua skiing, ergo sum |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: July-11-2022 at 7:08pm
6 degrees BTDC at idle speed which would be around 650 or so. You probably have a Prestolite distributor with a clip down cap since that was the spec for those distributors. If it sounds like a diesel at 10 degrees advanced, it'll probably sound worse at 6 degrees. If your idle speed is too low you'll get funny noises from the engine chugging when you put it into gear. Leave it at 10, tweak up the idle and get your idle mixture screws adjusted right, then rev it up and see what you get for total timing. Those old Prestolites will hit full advance at about 4000 rpm so you have to rev it that high to see whatcha got. You can check the advance in neutral with a helper preferably working the throttle
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steelynorm wrote:Posted By: steelynorm
Date Posted: July-12-2022 at 4:22am
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I have a mallory unilite[spelling]. Confirmed 10 btdc at around 600 rpms. over 30 btdc at 2200 rpms Is advance coming on too fast? |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: July-12-2022 at 5:19am
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I think you spelled it right I should have noticed the Mallory in your first post or your previous threads that mentioned it. Mallory had all kinds of tuning springs for their distributors so you could come up with whatever advance curve you wanted pretty much. These boats aren't big slow heavy barges so the advance being all in at that RPM is OK. It's probably the same advance at 3000 or 4000 rpm but worth verifying. You could say the Mallory's were highly tunable as compared to a Prestolite I think I'd try to get together with your "Folsom neighbor" MrMcD to get another set of eyes on the engine. Besides it might make him feel 30 years younger playing with an Edelbrock and a distributor Does your Edelbrock carburetor have a wedge under it to make the carburetor pretty level
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Posted By: steelynorm
Date Posted: July-12-2022 at 5:32am
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I have a mallory uniflite Over 30 btdc at 2200 rpms Is that too soon too fast? Is the timing too advanced? Timing moved much more slowly if at all past the 2200 RPM and 30Bdtc. ------------- 1989 "2001" sold 1996 Sanger DLX sold 2001 Air nautique sold 1985 "2001" current and in limbo? |
Posted By: KENO
Date Posted: July-12-2022 at 5:46am
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I think it's a Unilite and your advance curve is OK, it's not too fast as mentioned in previous post |
Posted By: steelynorm
Date Posted: July-12-2022 at 11:50am
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She sounds amazing out of gear in neutral, and revs smoothly and freely. My biggest concern is the sound it makes under load, it sounds almost dieselesque and is almost like a clanging or pinging sound... i hesitate to say that, because i dont want to steer possible diagnosis away from the issue at hand, because i dont think it is pinging issue, maybe it is? it has been some time since i have owned a "2001" but i dont remember my last motor(s) sounding so different under load. I did replace my gaskets under my carb last year, I did not notice a wedge under the carb, would that help the issues i am currently having? lastly not related at all, what temp thermostat should i be running, i am currently running 160. thanks all. will be heading out on the lake today, for another more extended run, hope to hear of any quick fixes before i head out. ------------- 1989 "2001" sold 1996 Sanger DLX sold 2001 Air nautique sold 1985 "2001" current and in limbo? |
Posted By: MourningWood
Date Posted: July-13-2022 at 3:33pm
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Any chance the sounds you're hearing are 'drivetrain rattle'? Often the low/loaded speeds can cause the tranny to rattle a bit... If you bump the throttle up just a tad while idling, and the noise goes away...that might be what you are hearing. Disconcerting, but not fatal. ------------- 1964 Dunphy X-55 "One 'N Dun" 'I measured twice, cut three times, and it's still too short!" |
Posted By: steelynorm
Date Posted: July-13-2022 at 9:11pm
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Took her out last night idles fine initially made few passes with wakeboard and ski. No issues pulls pretty well out of hole. If I turn her off and immediately try to start no issues if its a few minutes longer cranking times and throttle play is necessary.. Is this a hot start issue or something else? The sound of pebbles in my transmission are there during low speed gear engagement but immediately go away after throttle is applied. The nasty sounding engine under load remains. I will try and check propeller shaft in drive way Maybe I have a bent shaft? ------------- 1989 "2001" sold 1996 Sanger DLX sold 2001 Air nautique sold 1985 "2001" current and in limbo? |
Posted By: Jonny Quest
Date Posted: July-13-2022 at 10:07pm
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"The sound of pebbles in my transmission" is a good indication that the damper plate is going out. Do a search on this site for "damper plate" and you will get all the info you need... JQ ------------- Current 2003 Ski Nautique 206 Limited Previous 2001 Ski Nautique Open Bow 1994 Ski Nautique Open Bow Aqua skiing, ergo sum |