Road Runner Nest

I was thinking about getting timing tape so that I can set timing on my 440. But after looking at my harmonic balancer, I noticed that I have one of the bullet nosed balancers used on the later 440's. Considering the timing tape should only sit square on a flat and square surface, I don't see how timing tape will work on this tapered surface type of balancer. Is there timing tape out there specifically made for these tapered harmonic balancers? Anyone have any experience setting timing on 440's with these bullet nosed dampers??

i have one....what are you looking to do, set your timing at say 2K RPM? i'd think you'd have to find a way to do that with the timing tape, but it would have to be exact.

on the later damper, there are marks every 90 degrees, but the one that goes all the way to the inside edge of the damper is the mark you set your intial timing off of. mine's always been set at 10 degrees BTDC initial timing.

I replaced my ignition with an electronic ignition and vacuum advance distributor, so I need to set my timing. My engine isn't modded much. Stock internals, with a hotter cam and valve springs. So my timing will not need to be very radical, just a good performance set up really. Maybe I don't need the timing tape? I dunno, as I read through these forums it sounds like they are strongly recommended.

Can you take a picture of the front of the intake, where the three bolts hold the valley pan in place there is a raised pad there on the right side what is stamped on it? also look on the side of the block for a date cast in the side like 5*16*78 (day/month/year) or something like that. write back

its call a cast crank harmonic balancer not a bullet nose harmonic balancer

Right..... well I first learned of this type of balancer here: http://www.440source.com/dampers.htm.
On that web page it was referred to as a bullet nose balancer. Second off, not all 440 cast cranks had tapered or "bullet nosed" type balancers like my motor does. So anyway, does anyone make timing tape that would work with the tapered surface on these things??

this is a "bullet nose" damper...only used on later 76-78, i believe, cast crank 440s. it is tapered (hence the bullet-nose name) and has 4 timing marks every 90 degrees. the stock timing cover is also different from any other, in that it goes to 15 deg BTDC i believe, instead of the normal 10. the timing mark is also different in shape/design.



your motor sounds basically like mine, so get a timing light and for your initial timing, 10 BTDC is probably about perfect (vacuum advance disconnected and plugged), but you can play with it from there. even with my HEI ignition, i still have it timed at the same point as when i ran points

Thanks much, landon1. That info is a big help, just need to get a decent timing light now. But what about setting total timing?? I hear that is difficult to do without timing tape, or maybe there is another way. In fact the timing tab on my timing cover goes to 20 degrees BTDC. But that space in the tab above the zero mark is what puzzles me. What exactly is that for?? Anyone?

that's how my stock cover was as well. the total timing is something that they push on performance motors especially, but it's basically about having your total timing in by a certain RPM, say 2000 some want all of the total mechanical advance to be "in", which can be changed by recurving your distributor. i have no experience with this, as initial timing seems to be most important in a street car and has worked for me. after that, it's about tuning the carb imo.