850 timimg

• Hobby farm

With regards to your points they are to be set at .024 to .026 (per manual). Some will set them at .015 or .016. A feeler guage is inexpensive and easy to obtain.

"Static timing is how one times an engine without a timing light. It works well if your distributor is not badly worn. Here's how to do it:

After setting the points, crank the engine over until the rotor points to the #1 plug wire. Now turn the engine using the fan or a screw driver on the ring gear until the timing pointer is aligned with the 4 degree BTDC mark.

Remove the #1 plug wire from the plug and connect it to another spark plug so that you can see when it sparks. Lay the spark plug on a metal engine component so that it is grounded.

Loosen the distributor and turn the ignition on. Turn the distributor clockwise a few degrees until the points close. You can tell when the points close by watching the ammeter. Slowly turn the distributor back counter clockwise until the plug sparks and tighten the distributor making sure not to allow it to move.

Your engine should now be timed within a degree or so of what you can do with a GOOD timing light."

until the timing pointer is aligned with the 4 degree BTDC mark.

The technique above works great. I never bother to get out my timing light anymore unless I an diagnosing advance issues.

I sometimes wrap a large screwdriver or wooden dowl with a rag soaked in gasoline and lightly place it against the flywheel through the timing mark hole with the engine idling in order to clean the marks.

Once you find them, do yourself a favor and mark the 4 degree BTDC mark with a white touch-up paint marker or tire crayon to make timing it easier the next time.

Dean

Dean

Sounds like you found it. Loosen the bolt and spin the cover out of the way. You should see the flywheel.

As far as an engine getting out of time, it happens when parts are badly worn or broken, retaining bolts loosen, or when we mess with it and or remove the distributor.

I would go for the coil with an internal resistor.

As a suggestion, learn to do searches of the archives. There is a lot of good info stored and most likely any problem you have you will find has already been discussed. It's a great source for learning about your tractor. Also, buy a good shop manual and parts catalog.