sorry guys I am new to Jags going to ask you a stupid sounding question but advancing the timing where is the bolt on the dizzy to advance/retard it?
thanks in advance Garth

 

Garth,

OK, locate the #1 symbol on the distributor cap, now peer over the front of the cap in that area, and down the front/side and you WILL see a screwdriver slot looking right at you, with a locknut securing it (1/2" A/F spanner).

THATS IT

Unlock the nut, then the adjusting screw can be rotated to do whatever it is you need.

DO NOT adjust that thing just for fun, the HE engine is quite quirky with timing, and MANY, MANY items will require checking/sorting/fixing, PRIOR to messing with that adjuster.

The list is looooooong, and I will not start it now, but wait for a response as to why you need to mess with that adjuster, coz once they are set, there is NO moving parts as such that need adjustment to be taken up.

A mis-timed HE will punch holes in pistons quicker than you can down a stubbie, trust me. Ours run 12.5:1 comp ratio.

 

ahh I thought that was it my jags pings a lot and we want to check the timing we tried to loosen that on sat morning but couldn't move the dizzy

 

OK,

Sounds like a seized mechanical advance mechanism, VERY common. Lots of info in the "search" on that.

Once that locknut is loosened about 1/2 turn, the 2 halves of the distributor should slide on each other. That will depend on the setscrews inside the thing being assembled correctly, or else the whole thing locks solid. Seen a few of them.

The distributor rotates counterclockwise, so moving that screw so that the housing rotates counterclockwise will retard the timing.

 

thanks I will have another look when the weather cools down

 

If you just want to *retard* the timing a bit I don't see any harm in that. You can probably get rid of the pinging for now....and then go to work on understanding the system and making sure it's working properly.

I say 'system' because timing advance on these cars, as built, is a complicated affair

But as Grant says don't mess about with *advancing* the timing on a 'by guess and by golly' basis.

Cheers
DD