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Hey guys, Got the timing adjusted properly this weekend...it is right at 8 degrees BTC. We also adjusted the valve lash (we had done this before the timing issue). Also adjusted the dwell again and it is right on. Running better, but still a little hesitation/missing at idle and with the throttle up to 2500-3000rpm. The hesitation/missing does not go away at higher rpm. It warms up fine. I drove it, and it hesitates a lot when I step on the gas. If I accelerate very slowly, it seems to be better. Feels like it should have more power as well. Still smokes, smoke is a whitish blue, but it doesn't smoke all the time. I'm thinking that ggzilla is right about adjusting the carb. The manual calls for adjusting it in drive using a CO2 meter (which I do not have). Is there another way to accurately adjust the idle mixture? Also, could it be valve problems? Also, when I bought the car, it has a stuck intake valve on the #2 cylinder, and a bent pushrod on the intake valve of the #3 cylinder. It would not start until I fixed these issues, obviously. However, now I am wondering if the valves leak a little, possibly causing the blue smoke and hesitation. Could this be a possibility? Thanks again guys so much for the help. This is the only place where I can find people to help me out on my little Datsun.

Thanks Guys for your responses. ggzilla, it is possible that the carb is not adjusted properly, as it is a new carb. However, the car was running better before I started messing with the timing, and I haven't touched the carb since. I'll try your suggestions this weekend and let you know. kgrantkey, I don't know about the plate moving, but it is possible that if it does in fact move I might have messed it up when I changed the points. I have a spare distributor so I'll take a look. Thanks again guys...this is the only place where I've been able to find help. I'll let you know after I tinker with it some this weekend. Gratefully, Robin

I forgot to mention that the engine smokes...could the tensioner be worn out? If so, is there a way I can check without taking the front of the engine apart?

Thanks again for your response ggzilla. I have done what you suggest many times with no success. This is the crux of problem that I am having, and why it is so frustrating. I cannot install the distributor where the rotor is in the right place and get a spark. I can get the rotor to the right place by removing the distributor and rotating it back one tooth, but then I get no spark (it is at a point where the points don't open). Is there something I am missing? Could the cam be off? I don't think so because I took off the valve cover and verified that indeed both valves are shut at TDC. The car ran better than it does now, although far too advanced in timing, before I removed the distributor. Like I said, I have spent 6-8 hours trying everything to get the rotor and spark aligned in the right place, with no success. I am hoping that someone out there has had a similar problem and might help.

My hood looks like that...unfixable..if you can find one, it is very expensive to ship. I think I'd follow the others' advice and keep looking.

OK, I was able to get it barely running following ggzilla's advice, but it is running horribly (acts like it wants to die and barely loping along). The dwell angle is right on according to my manual. Looking at the position of the rotor, it seems that it is almost past the plug wire when the coil wire fires. Moving the distributor while it is running has little affect - it does not get any better either way I turn it. Any further suggestions would be greatly appreciated. Thank you

Ggzilla, Thanks so much for your advice...please forgive my ignorance, but Ihave a couple more questions after reding your posts: how do I adjust the distributor so that the coil will spark? Out of curiosity, what happens when you turn the engine counterclockwise? Thanks again, Robin

Hello Everyone, Thanks for such a helpful website. I have an ignition timing problem and I am stumped: I have a 1977 B210 sedan, bought in August and was not running. After working on it a while I was able to get it running and running fair but not great. I had everything else pretty much tuned up, and when I went to check the timing, it was 20-25 degrees advanced. This is my problem, I thought. So I loosened the distributor bolt and tried to retard it where it is supposed to be (8 degrees advanced), but it wouldn't retard at all without dying. I could only keep it running at 20-25 degrees advanced. Someone told me that the distributor could be a tooth off, so i took it out and tried it - a tooth in either direction - it wouldn't run either way. So I replaced the points, but couldn't get it to start. Tried another new distributor, still couldn't get it to start. Well, it will barely start and run like sh*t then die. I had a mechanic look at it with me and neither of us could figure it out. We verified that it is indeed at TDC and engine timing is correct. We can put the distributor in at TDC, have the rotor pointing at the #1 plug wire, but we can't move the distributor where the points are open at TDC pointing at the #1 wire. It seems that the points are opening too late. Any suggestions or experience with a similar problem? Most gratefully, robin