How to time a euro dampner? Vs. 83'zxt CP and 76' 260z CP

[Guest 73Turbo240z]

In my recent swapping of the headgaskets, i installed a 76' 260z crank pulley cause i couldn't locate an 83' ZXT unit at the time. There was some initial contending logic on weather the crank pulley would work since the 83' ZXT motor is based of the 30 degree timing plate w/ a 26 degree base timing or whatever it is.

 

Where as the 260z CP and timing plate are a based of a 20 degree timing plate.

 

we compared 0 degrees of a 260CP and a 280zx TP, they didn't line up, so we used a 260z CP & TP, and a timing light that could compensate for __ amount of degrees to allow us to set the 26 or whatever degrees of timing on a 20 degree TP.

 

now, since then, things have run fine, with the exception of my 5krpm above miss which you can read about in the ignition/electrical section. however, during my re-install of the timing cover, i botched a gasket or somthing, so i have to tear it down and reseal it.

 

that being said, i thought it would be a good time to go to a euro dampner to give my fan more clearance than it has now (less than 1cm) but i reflected upon the fiasco i had with the 260z vs 280zx CP & TP's... that issue was solved only through having access to multiple OE parts to make it work.

 

in the case of the euro dampner, which TP does it use and follow? Because i'd hate to throw down the denero for one, then find out i have to source some obscure timing plate, or have it not be compatible at all with any OEM timing plate.

 

so for those out there who run one, what timing plate does it use, or how do you time the motor with it?

 

CP = crank pulley

TP = timing plate

[JMortensen]

The Euro Damper has the notches in it and uses a pointer like a 240.

[Guest 73Turbo240z]

right, i figured that much, but which timing plate does it go by? because 0 degrees on a 83' zxt timing plate, and zero degrees on the 260z timing plate, did not correlate at all.

[JMortensen]

You must be referring to the timing plate under the distributor then??? If so I never used that one to actually time the car, so I don't know the answer. Sorry.

[Guest 73Turbo240z]

no, the plate that provides degree incriments for the crank pulleys notch mark.

 

[JMortensen]

It has the degrees on the damper itself. Not just one notch for TDC, but it has one for 5º ATDC and 4 or 5 at 5º intervals for BTDC. You don't use either of those plates with the degrees on it. You use the pointer (just a pointer) from the 240.

[Guest 73Turbo240z]

hmm... i'll have to dig up my photos of my 240 motor then, cause i cannot recall what it looked like.