Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van


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Post Mon Feb 01, 2016 1:25 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

I have completed the work I plan to do on this vehicle. Automatic transmission seems to work well and engine is running decently. Would any of you who've helped me get to this point have any interest in this vehicle? It should be given a proper tune up and I'd like to give it a good pressure washing, but before I advertise it for sale I thought I would ask here.

In the meantime, thank you to everyone for helping me get my mom's mail truck back on its feet!

-- Dick

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Post Tue Jan 09, 2018 8:47 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

I understand the "base timing" is supposed to be 3 degrees BTC on this engine. Could someone give me a detailed explanation of how to set this?

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Post Wed Jan 10, 2018 12:11 am

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

If you do not receive a response on this thread, take it over to the Board index ‹ Vehicles ‹ A, B, C and D Series
Area and see if you get a response, The motor should be the same as in those series and the Metro Forum is not posted in often.

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Post Thu Jan 11, 2018 10:41 am

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

rempfer wrote:I understand the "base timing" is supposed to be 3 degrees BTC on this engine. Could someone give me a detailed explanation of how to set this?

AMC 6 cylinder engine (232 cu.in.) timing marks are on the timing cover and the crank balancer.

Since this is an AMC engine, you could also source engine info from numerous AMC web-sites.

I tried to attach a pdf document for distributor tests but it will not load here.
I will email it.
My Junk --> 1975 IH Model 200HD, 1 ton 4x4 truck, 392, 4 speed, etc.
My cave location --> Western North Carolina

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Post Thu Jan 11, 2018 1:22 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

Before I start looking for an AMC website, could you help me understand the term "base timing?" That's what I'm unclear on (e.g. "engine at idle with vacuum advance hose disconnected" or something else). Thank you for the PDF document, 1975IH200, I did receive that by email. Much appreciated!

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Post Thu Jan 11, 2018 1:28 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

Copy and paste from your other thread.
From Monsonmotors
To do it right you have to check that mechanical and vacuum advances are working. They are often both inop.
Do this: with vacuum advance plugged off install a timing light and rev engine a bit. Timing should always go back to the same place and mechanical advance should be all in by 2000 RPM or so. Expect 15-17 degrees added by mechanical advance. With engine off remove distributor cap, grab rotor, twist in direction of rotation and release. It should snap back. A rotor that is lazy to return means that mechanical advance is sketchy at best. It needs to be lubricated and exercised until it's free again. VERY common to see stuck mechanical advance. NO movement of rotor at all.
With cap back on start engine and apply vacuum to vacuum advance. Again you should see 15ish degrees added (this time at idle). If not, vacuum advance is inop. Very common.
Ignition advance is to make up for amount of time that combustion takes at any load or engine speed.
Base timing (where dist. is set) plus mechanical advance plus vacuum advance equals total advance.
An old Motors Manual has all these specs in the distributor section.
Setting a vehicle's ignition base timing ASSUMES that mechanical and vacuum advances are working. MANY a distributor has been mistakenly clocked in the over-advanced position to make up for poor engine performance. Everyone seems to blame ignition timing for all performance woes. Check to see if all your advances are working.
Point dwell or point gap is directly related to timing.
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Post Thu Jan 11, 2018 1:39 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

Got it, thanks. Define "base timing" please?

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Post Thu Jan 11, 2018 1:47 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

https://youtu.be/8HpFr7x5Dk0
Go to this You Tube link and there will be this video and many others.
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Post Thu Jan 11, 2018 2:10 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

Good info that I already know. What I'm trying to nail down is "base" in "base timing." Nobody seems to know? I assume it's timing at warmed up engine idle, and with vacuum hose disconnected from vacuum advance, then set timing to 3 degrees BTC. I had hoped someone here would be able to confirm these details.

I might mention that Ford flathead V-8's are timed with the vacuum advance hose attached, although with the venturi vacuum system at idle there really isn't much/any vacuum to the advance on these engines. This is clearly NOT the case on engines with vacuum advances driven by intake manifold vacuum, hence the question about "base" timing: At idle??? Vacuum advance hose disconnected???

Thanks anyway, I guess I'm on my own with this one.

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Post Thu Jan 11, 2018 2:47 pm

Re: Resurrecting Mom's 1969 IH M800 POSTOFFICE Van

"Base timing" or "Static timing" is where the distributor is timed to the crankshaft without any influence of the vacuum or centrifugal advance.

When you set the distributor timing to a setting when the vacuum advance canister is disconnected and capped and the engine is idling at an engine speed that is lower than the centrifugal advance starts to advance, that is your "base timing".

Or some call it "static timing" because you can set this when the engine is not running. Simply put an ohm meter probes across the points in the distributor and then set the engine timing marks where you want the static timing to be with cylinder #1 coming up towards TDC compression stroke, 5° BTDC for example. Then rotate the distributor until the points break conductivity (via the ohm meter reading) then set the dizzy hold down bolt tight. That is your "base" or "static" timing.

NOTE: this is NOT IH specific. It is the same for Chevy, Ford, Mopar, Toyota, VW, whatever. Distributor timing is distributor timing. You should be able to find this type of info on any old car enthusiast forum.
Last edited by 1975IH200 on Thu Jan 11, 2018 2:52 pm, edited 3 times in total.
My Junk --> 1975 IH Model 200HD, 1 ton 4x4 truck, 392, 4 speed, etc.
My cave location --> Western North Carolina
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