L134 Flywheel 180 off

[KiloLima]

I have determined my flywheel was put on 180 off. I have detrmined that the 5 deg mark appears in the bell housing hole when no. 2 cylinder is at Top of compression stroke and rotor pointing to a tower. So I'm going to time it to no. 2 using that tower hole. So please confirm my plug wiring procedure as follows. To see that I am thinking correctly.
No. 2 dist tower wire to no. 2 plug identified from above staement.
Next CCW tower hole wired to no. 1 plug
Next CCW hole to no. 3 plug
Next CCW hole to no. 4 plug

[parker007]

i would just mark flywheel with a paint marker at tdc.

[Wolfman]

Yes, KiloLima.
That is correct.

[New2Jeep]

I guess I'm lucky - my recently-acquired motor was also timed to #2 but I'm in the middle of rebuilding it, so I plan to reinstall the flywheel correctly for #1 when I get to that point. Curious to know if there is any advantage to timing a motor to #2 instead? Seems to me that all the manuals all indicate #1 is key, so I just have to wonder. I'm not a car guy at all, so this is a long and labourious process for me and anything different than what is in the manual sends me on a tailspin.
(Nevermind about the CJ motor in my 42GPW, shh. It's not a showpiece or trophy-winner, just want to give my WWII-veteran buddy a ride)

[Wolfman]

It is not an issue of which cylinder to time to as it is having the spark directed to the correct cylinder at the correct time.
Getting the engine set up so the timing is set at the #1 cylinder when ready to fire is by the book.
But when the flywheel is installed incorrectly, you have to improvise, or pull the engine.
The timing occurs at each cylinder in the firing order as the distributor cam and rotor rotates. Does not matter what distributor position the rotor is at, as long as the plug wire in that position is connected to the correct spark plug & cylinder.
In the case, the timing mark was aligned when the #2 cylinder was up on compression, so the #2 plug wire goes where the rotor is pointing on the distributor cap and the new firing order is counterclockwise from there. 2-1-3-4.

[New2Jeep]

It is not an issue of which cylinder to time to as it is having the spark directed to the correct cylinder at the correct time.
Getting the engine set up so the timing is set at the #1 cylinder when ready to fire is by the book.
But when the flywheel is installed incorrectly, you have to improvise, or pull the engine.
The timing occurs at each cylinder in the firing order as the distributor cam and rotor rotates. Does not matter what distributor position the rotor is at, as long as the plug wire in that position is connected to the correct spark plug & cylinder.
In the case, the timing mark was aligned when the #2 cylinder was up on compression, so the #2 plug wire goes where the rotor is pointing on the distributor cap and the new firing order is counterclockwise from there. 2-1-3-4.

Wolfman, what an excellent recap - I appreciate that info!

[dpcd67]

Wolf beat me to it; it don't matter where your flywheel mark is; in fact later jeeps like the M38 do not have marks and you couldn't see them even if it did. Treat it per the TM, and time it like he said. I use static timing, my ears, and a vacuum gauge to make engines run. NO timing light.
Even non car guys need to read their pubs and learn about cars; you can't own an old jeep without learning PMCS, and some higher levels of maintenance too. Or pay someone else $100 an hour to do it for you. Or call me; that is what my friends do.
Bastards. But I always help them. Meaning, do it for them.
I was helping one last week; 42 GPW would not start. He had NO point gap. He had bought a new distributor but couldn't figure out how to change it. He did not read his 9-803 but he did have one. I showed him his points and he never really understood how they worked.
I installed the new dist, and it started right up. Turned it until we got steady 19 inches on the gauge, and it purred fine.
Anyway, do what Wolf said. And read your TMs. Don't worry about flywheel marks.

[KiloLima]

Thank you very much Mike.

[KiloLima]

Motor running good now.

[Wolfman]

You are welcome !
I love happy endings !!