Where to read timing marks???

onebad7up

Member
Jun 21, 2004
97
0
6
Nashville
I just got a new timing light and I am trying to set the timing on my 90 5.0. I stood on the passenger side and shot the light down at the crankshaft pulley but I didn't see anything. Where would I read from? Usually there are marks that tell the degrees but my car doesn't. Am I looking at the right spot?
 
You may need to get some sandpaper and sand the outside of the crank pulley. Mine had some light surface rust and you couldn't read the marks at all. Kinda thought about trying to do it with the car running but that just felt like a "Hey ya'll watch this" kinda thing. It takes maybe 5 minutes to sand the pulley. I think I used 400 grit.
 
I used a White Paint pen and a bright orange paint pen I bought at a crafts store. I marked TDC with the white and 14* adv with the orange. Much easier to see.

Jack the car up and crawl under (it easier from the bottom). Find the lines on the balancer and mark them. They may not be totally accurate because of outter ring slipage but it will help.

Also, just want to make sure you removed the spout before you attempted to time it. Also, you said you pointed it at the lower pulley. The timing mark is on the balancer. I know, simple things, but sometimes they are the ones that get ya.
 
Once I fill in that dipped spot with white pen what do I line it up with? I see that little piece of metal with a whole in the bottom and then a pointed area at the top. Am I supposed to line that white line up in that circle?