Distributor and timing mark?

[Jordo2]

G'day, I have a little 4cy that runs fine, although a little gutless. wen I tried to check the timing during a service, the timing mark is on the opposite side of the harmonic ballancer no where near any of the marks? wen the motors at tdc? Does this mean the distributor has been put in backward or wot? And yes the timing lite was on number one plug lead Cheers?

[Calaber]

Hi Jordo

I think it is possible that one of two things has happened in the past with your engine.

The first option is that your engine has a harmonic balancer with a rubber damper ring between the centre hub and the pulley, which has perished with age and permitted the outer pulley to rotate around the hub, but I'm not sure if it would not have fallen apart by now if it could rotate that far from its correct position.

There is also a second alternative - your timing mark was not the correct mark and the real one is in the correct position but covered in oil or dirt so you missed seeing it and saw another mark on the pulley instead. I'd check that one first just to make sure, then take it from there.