How do you time the engine?

Answer 1

With a Timing Light. A timing light is a strobe light that fires each time the number one cylinder fires. It gets power from the battery and has a pickup that goes around the number one spark plug wire. There is a notch on the crankshaft pulley and a pointer or series of marks on the timing chain cover on the front of the motor. Most motors have a firing point before Top Dead Center which is when the piston is at the top of it's stroke. The cylinder wants to fire or ignite the gas just before the piston is at the top of it's stroke so that the explosion of the gas forces it down the cylinder. That's what produces the power of the engine. You adjust when the cylinder fires by moving the distributor back and forth until the engine is firing at the correct time. Most cars have a label on the radiator support or the hood saying what the timing should be. Usually 4 to 8 degrees before top dead center. Every motor is different.