Cant seem to get my timing right

[magnumpi]

 I'm trying to get my timing right on my 126Bis and if i get it to where it pulls ok after i switch it off and you try to start it Its like you have a flat battery so if i set the timing to where it starts really well it is as flat as a pancake and will do about 50 Mph flat out  Please help Thank you 

[Pete126]

When the engine sounds like its got a flat battery, Your timing is over advanced I always set mine using the static timing method, If your using a timing you need to disconnect the vacuum advance and set it to 10 deg before TDC on idle. what you have to realize is that you only have 26 BHP its never going to be a GTI and if you run the engine over advanced it will overheat and damage engine, so it needs to be setup as per the specification in the manual

[magnumpi]

Hello Pete thanks again for your advice should i use a timing light?, i removed the engine again and put the flywheel back per your diagram you sent me and that shocking vibration has gone 

[Pete126]

Good you got the engine balance sorted, As i mentioned my preferred way is to set the timing up statically.

Set the front pulley to 10 deg BTDC with the distributor loose the points should be just opening, to help setup if you have a 12 volt tester (screw driver with a bulb in the handle) connect the wire to earth and the point to the wire that comes out of the distributor that goes to the coil, with the ignition on , move the distributor so the light is just flashing on and off, clamp the distributor, that should be set correctly now. 

[mintex]

I know im dragging an old thread up (i found it by searching lol) but im not sure my timing is right and ive been doing it with a light so im going to try your way tonight pete 

[Gadge]

Sorry to interrupt but would a lightened flywheel cause timing issues? I've been experiencing timing issues as well . It would never run right if I set it up 10 degrees before but it would it run sweet if I advanced it to say 20 degrees

[Bambino126]

I can't think of any reason why a lightened flywheel would cause any timing issues - I mean the engine is still firing at the same time isn't it.
Re timing, I think the factory setting of 10 deg btdc is a bit conservative to allow for variations in the quality of petrol used in different countries where the bis is used - like yours mine also runs better advanced to about 20 btdc on UK fuel. 20 is a bit of a guess though because the timing marks only go from 0 back to 10 btdc so mines at about double as far back. Running on super unleaded (to avoid the dreaded ethanol) I can advance to about 30 btdc before I can hear any "pinking" but the engine is a bit harder to start like that.

[Gadge]

Ahhh that's good to know I thought I was the only one the reason I thought the flywheel was causing problems was because maybe the lighter weight of it was making the Pistons go up the bore quicker thus by the time the mixture has reached the full burn point it had gone past TDC hence advancing it more but now you've said that I'm thinking it's not the case. Mine also seems to run better at a (guessed) 20 degrees too

[gammakeith]

I seem to repeatedly find that the more simple the vehicle the harder problems can be to find and fix    I had dreadful problems with a Triumph Spitfire many years back.  I had to set the timing far too retarded to stop it pinking and it never ran right. Turned out to be a combination of worn distributor bushes and the wrong advance curve (it was off a different model).  The ignition system on a BIS is quite simple so shouldn't cause problems.  Have you got another distributor to try?

Keith