How to Time a Mopar 400ci 4bbl 1Locate your distributor and loosen its hold-down clamp. On a 400, the distributor will probably be on the front of the engine. At the base of your distributor will probably be a hold down clamp, which is bolted for the engine casting. Loosen this bolt with your 1/2-inch wrench just sufficient to ensure that it is possible to rotate the distributor. Be careful not to rotate the distributor as well far from its original location as you test the looseness from the clamp.2Remove the vacuum hose which attaches for your distributor. This really is the hose that controls your vacuum advance.
Take away the hose at the distributor finish, and stick a bolt, nail, or other compact object into the hose to stop a vacuum leak.3Locate the timing marks on the timing chain cover, on the the passenger side of your engine, subsequent to the harmonic balancer. The balancer is behind the bottom pulley at the quite front of your engine. The balancer will also have one or a lot more timing marks etched into it. Clean this part of the balancer and apply chalk to highlight the timing marks.When you are having a tough time obtaining at the timing marks on the balancer, rotate the engine by bumping the starter with your key. Make sure to take away the coil wire just before performing this, to ensure the engine doesn't get started. This really is the wire that goes in to the center from the distributor cap. Keep in mind to replace this wire afterward, because it is necessary for your engine to run.4Put in your parking brake and begin the engine.5Attach the timing light. Your timing light has 3 wires.
Two of them are clamps: 1 black and a single red. These attach for your battery, red going to good and black to unfavorable. The third wire will be the spark pickup. This attaches towards the No.1 spark plug wire, normally by clamping around the wire. The No.1 spark plug wire may be the front-most wire on the driver's side Auto code scanner.6With the engine running as well as your timing light attached, point your timing light in the harmonic balancer from the passenger side and pull the trigger. The timing light will flash in rapid succession, flashing the moment every time spark is sent for the No.1 spark plug. With the strobe light shining on your harmonic balancer, you are going to see a timing mark on the balancer hovering in one spot.7Rotate your distributor. Using the timing light pointed, watch the timing mark move up and down on the balancer.
This really is how you adjust your timing.8Turn the distributor clockwise. Note the direction that your timing mark travels. This is the direction to advance your timing. It differs from year to year, but your 400 should really be set to in between 10 and 12 degrees advanced, or prior to leading dead center. Rotate the distributor until the mark in your balancer lines up using the 10 degree mark in your timing cover inside the advanced direction. Note that your idle speed rpm could increase automotive diagnostic tools.9Tighten down the distributor clamp, reinstall the vacuum line, and readjust your idle speed on the carburetor, if necessary.
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