timing process

[chirrin]

can some one tell me how do i time my engine i got a 302 on it with carburetor of barrel edelbrook 500 cfm and a msd 6 everything else is stock please be specific

[fordman]

you will need a timing light. but you lossen the bolt on the dist hold down plate. mark the timing position on the damper on the crank pulley. you will see numbers on there. the book says 6 before tdc. which is the 6 before the zero not after the zero. mark that with chalk. it might not be a number 6 but it might just be a line. you will have to count the lines from zero. hook up the timing light. either a inductive light or non inductive. whichever you have. remove the vacuum line going to the dist and plug that line with a bolt. start the truck. point the light at the damper where you made the mark. the light will flash everytime the damper comes around. the chalk should line up with hte flashing light and the pointer hovering over the damper. if it doesnt slowly turn the dist until it does line up. then tighten down the dist bolt when you are done. and rehook the vacuum line. this does not take into account worn engine parts such as the timing chain. so to make it run correctly 6 may not be where you want to leave it timed at.

[chirrin]

do i do that with a timing light that only flash at 0 degrees and and look for the 6th mark?

[fordman]

it will flash were ever it is suppose to flash at. but its is suppose to flash at 6. if it flashes anyplace else then it needs adjusted to make it run right. 6 may not do it though. depending on engine wear. you may have to adjust it from 6 to 8 or maybe even higher. check it out and see what it does. you can always put it back to where it was before by turning the dist back to where it was when you started.