Simple Advance/Retard Question
 

On the Mercedes V-8's, (450 in particular), which way do you
turn the distributor to advance the timing.
(Getting ready to do some tuning and just want to make sure
I know)
Is counterclockwise advance?

the method to determine it is as follows:
 

first look at the firing order. it will be printed on something like the valve cover, stamped or raised letters permanently embossed. on a four cyl it is usually 1342 i think. now look at your distributor. look for the #1 plug wire. on an inline motor this is usually the one closest to the radiator. check the book to be sure, there are some oddball locations for #1 that i have run across. now follow the num one wire back to the dist and mark it. now find the plug that fires after no. one. now follow that wire back to the dist. mark that one. now think which direction will the rotor have to turn to make the second firing cyl fire after the first. lets just say that that direction is clockwise. now think "which way do i have to rotate the distributor to make the rotor reach each cylinder's wire SOONER". if the direction it turns in normal operation is clockwise the direction to move the distributor will be anti clockwise. to retard move it in the direction that the rotor moves in normal operation or clockwise in our example. just walk through this slowly step by step and you will laugh out loud at how simple it is. if you find it not simple then you are making it too difficult.

so, if it doesnt work for you come back and post your questions.

this method will work for any spark engine that has a distributor.

good luck.

tom w

It's not rocket science - just put a timing light on it and see which way advances the timing.

If you don't have a timing light, you shouldn't be messing with it.

Duke

duke
 

has a point...

but the logic behind the question is still handy for solving a number of other problems that a timing light won't solve, such as what to do if your wires are mixed up, what to do if the engine has been assembled wrong and what to do if the distributor has come loose and you are in the middle of nowhere in the middle of the night and need to get it going.

and also the person asked a question which i feel deserves an answer. and i don't really care what they are planning to do with the info.

tom w

counter-clockwise is advance