Setting timing for initial fire-up of new engine

[MB750]

Quick question

How should I go about setting my distributor to get me "close enough" for good fire at initial engine start-up?

I'm nearing the stage where I can try firing up my engine. FYI, I completely built this one, it's not a crate engine or Blueprint. SBF Windsor with some go-fast goodies but nothing extreme.

Run of the mill HEI distributor, vacuum and mechanical advance. Right now I've eyeballed the rotor so it's about 10 degrees past the middle of the #1 contact terminal in the cap when Cyl#1 is at TDC (which implies it should fire somewhere BTDC). The problem is I have no idea where along that rotor sweep it actually fires the spark.

I'll be checking spark to make sure it's actually firing first. I've definitely got air flow, and in the coming days I'll be ironing out the fuel pressure.

Thanks y'all.

[Jeff Kleiner]

I put a timing light on and crank them with the ignition on but no fuel. It’ll get you almost dead on.

Jeff

[MB750]

Thanks Jeff, I'll try that.

[skidd]

.. and of course.. have the distributor tight enough to not easily move, but loose enough that you can turn it back and forth by hand turn while cranking it.. in-case you're just off a little bit.

[Ted G]

+1 on what Skidd and Jeff mentioned. I just found TDC on #1 and put the dist rotor very close to #1 on dist. cap (even a bit before). While cranking, you can move back and forth a bit to get it running.

Good luck!

[MB750]

Yup, thanks fellas. From what I've researched, 12 degrees during cranking is the ballpark to get an easy fire-up. I've got the total curve for my distributor somewhere around here, once I get a solid idle I'll tweak it from there.

[MB750]

With many thanks to the members of the forum, I've got fire, in the correct places too:

https://youtu.be/Wdaj3qNNxQk


https://youtu.be/Wdaj3qNNxQk