Your timing won't have any effect on the trans shifting. The shifting is controlled by pressure. The linkage between the throttle linkage and trans is a fine adjustment that controls the pressure providing there isn't any problem with the trans. From what you described it sounds like the trans is staying in 2nd gear?

The springs control the rate.  The amount of advance is limited by a stop.  The precise method of limiting the amount can vary from one distributor brand to another.  Sometimes bushings can be used to change it.  Other times welding or brazing is required.


Lawrenceville, GA

Okay big news dump:

I checked my damper to see if TDC on it was accurate. I read up some methods of checking and decided to do the screwdriver in the 1# spark plug hole trick. I felt the piston push the screwdriver up (actually pinned it once I had to back it off a little to get it out lol) and I felt the piston immediately start going back down right after it passed the TDC mark on the damper, turning clockwise. This leads me to say it's accurate. It's a low mileage engine so I kinda expected it to (34,000 original miles) I also took a picture of the spark plug. It does look a little white so maybe I'll richen my mixture a little, but i'll post the picture to see what you guys think.

I managed to mess with the timing today after work before it started raining. I've got a video uploaded of my initial timing check and I feel a bit guilty admitting it but my timing was actually.. worse then 30o.. well past that mark my friend made for some reason. Yikes.. be easy on me guys I already feel bad about it already. I guess maybe he didn't know what he was doing after all.. or the setting changed over time..  I recorded a video for you guys here. Also yes, I had the vacuum advance unplugged and plugged when I did this.

Took me a bit to get the distributor to actually turn, it was frozen it seems, but once it broke free it spun easily enough. I adjusted it back down to about 6o though I was.. kinda stupid and forgot to mark 6o with white ink before doing all this so I couldn't really see the mark on the damper clearly. So right now I've got it in the ballpark, 6o-ish - 12o-ish I figured anything's better then where it was. I honestly don't notice that much of a difference if you can believe that, I guess it's a TAD smoother but nothing remarkable.

Sorry I also forgot to check my vacuum advance, I'll be doing that and uploading a video tomorrow. Though I've got suspicions it's not working, read below.

So I decided to do some slow driving through the neighborhood just to see how she did. I didn't lock down the distributor as I'd be messing with it again tomorrow and it turns pretty tightly anyway. But I made it a point not to go very far or push her hard. At low speed driving she does great and does seem to run a bit smoother. I wouldn't be surprised if this was my overheating issue but I haven't gotten a chance to really find out yet it's pretty cool this evening. However I noticed that if I gently gunned it a little jumping from 20 to 30ish the engine would want to hesitate and run rougher until I let up, but she seemed to do fine if I slowly and gradually raised my speed. That leads my untrained mind to think the advance isn't working or the curve is off.. what do you think? I could try to record it but I don't know if it would come through in a video.

Also, after I retarded the timing I also lowered the idle speed. I know the idle is very fast in the video. That's just because when it was at 30o the engine got a LOT slower when in gear as apposed to in park or neutral. So if I'd shown you, as soon as I'd put it in drive the idle would go back down to normal.

All in all a pretty good night though. Just some fine tuning tomorrow and I'll lock it down and then move on to see what that hesitation is about.

You need to know the idle speed.  If it is high enough, then the mechanical advance is coming into play, making your initial timing appear to be higher than it is.

If what you are showing is initial advance and it actually started with that much advance, then that seriously brings into question the accuracy of the marks on your damper.  The other reason that I say it is time to replace it is that age takes it's toll  The rubber material between the mass and the hub deteriorates.  this means that even if by some chance it is actually ok now, it won't be for a whole lot longer.

Another thing that could be happening is the advance springs are weak or have broken, allowing full advance right from idle.  This is easy to check.  Rev the engine slowly and make sure that the ignition advances smoothly.  When you release the throttle, it should return to the initial setting.  If that does not happen or is inconsistent, then you need to pull the distributor to repair and rebuild.  If it is original, I guarantee that it needs to be rebuilt.


Lawrenceville, GA

Well the advance couldn't have been coming into play during that reading, I had the vacuum line disconnected. Unless the springs are bad like you said . But I could literally feel the piston go back down right after the TDC mark.. doesn't that pretty much prove that it's right on the money?


So basically you're saying I need to find me a tachometer?

Yes, you need a tachometer.  Either install one in the car or look for a tach / dwell meter, which is a diagnostic and tuning tool.

Feeling for top dead center is not accurate enough.  Because of the geometry involved between the crank, rod, and piston, the piston stays at or very near tdc for a small amount of time.  By the time you feel the piston move, the crank has turned at least a few degrees.  What you have done is determined that it is in the ballpark, probably within 5 or 10 degrees but when you are trying to track down a problem like the one you are having, that can make all of the difference.  Plus, as I said, the materials used to assemble the damper deteriorate.  Even if it is indicating exactly TDC, it is time to replace it or have it rebuilt if it is original or of unknown age.

Which distributor is it?  Vacuum only Load-O-Matic, or mechanical and vacuum advance?  If mechanical and vacuum, then advance can be at play if the idle speed is too high, even if the vacuum portion is disconnected.


Lawrenceville, GA

It is hard to believe that engine started with all that initial advance. Are you sure no 1 plug wire didn't get crossed with another wire? You need to do a few basics like a compression test to see if timing chain jumped a mile, and bring mark up to TDC and see if the rotor is pointing to terminal 1 or 6 on the distributor cap. An original 55 distributor has a full vacuum advance mechanism only, no mechanical. I have the manual and it shows that it can provide up to 29-32 deg. advance added to the initial timing. The vacuum diaphragm is very sensitive it only take 1.75 in's of vacuum for full advance so it would be a good idea to measure the vacuum going to the diaphragm.

I'm pretty certain it's Load-O-Matic, isn't that all that was originally offered like Sandbird said? here's a pic of it:
These were taken in 2013:

I will check both of these things. Thanks guys.

So I've never used a dwell meter before (forgive me I'm only 28 lol) but based on what I read tonight it measures the amount of time between when the points are fully open and when they're closed. So it makes sense to me it could calculate the RPM of the engine. You also want to get a steady reading, that indicates the points are opening and closing the same amount of time on every face of the cam-lobe. SO, that brings me to the final question. WHAT is the proper normal dwell number for the 272 Yblock?

Also Charlie. So you suggest changing the entire damper pulley right? I'm assuming you use a normal pulley puller tool? https://i.ytimg.com/vi/Q42meP_LOV0/maxresdefault.jpg Is the shaft it rides on keyed or do you have to make sure you put the new pulley on with the timing marks in the right place on your own? I'm assuming the proper procedure would be to find top dead center then when you put the new damper on and then just make sure it goes on with the 0 mark under the timing tab. Right?

What IS the most accurate way to find TDC on cylinder #1? I heard the rope trick but I don't really follow how that method works.

The damper has a keyway and there is a key in the crank so it can only go on one way. Yes that is the type of puller to use. I would strongly suggest washers under the bolts, unlike what is shown in the picture.
Someone else will have to jump in with accurately finding TDC with the head on, I have no ideas.