I am looking for some advise on checking and setting the timing on my 1980 12a. It is mostly a stock setup expect that I have removed the rats nest and air pump. I have never checked the timing and have owned the car since it was new. Looking at the post I can not seem to zero in a one that clearly tells me how to check the timing. Thanks in advance to anyone how helps.
Regards, MJG

 

the first thing i like to do is to spin the engine over by hand and find the marks on the main pulley, sometimes these are dirty/rusty/hard to see. so step one is to just find what you're looking for, if you feel like cleaning and adding a paint mark, that is totally fine.

the stock setup turns off the vacuum advance at idle, and if you messed with that you should unplug those

step two, set up the timing light, if you have a fancy one with a ****, set it at zero, the advance won't work right on these engines. put the pick up on the L1 wire and start the engine. at idle the timing should be right on the mark, if it is not, loosen the 10mm bolt/nut holding the distributor and move it.

next put the pick up on the T2 wire, the timing now should be on the trailing mark, if not you adjust the trailing vacuum advance.

and done! just as a note, if its electric ignition and nobody has touched anything it will be correct, they don't move...

 

Thanks , I will test using your instructions, and I do have electronic sensors in distributor never ever messed with so should be close