Where is the timing hole on the engine?

[Bmachine]

For the life of me I can't see where the hole giving me the timing marks are on the flywheel. I need to adjust timing and want to shine my timing light in there. Visibility between the block and the firewall is very difficult with the heater hoses in the way. I can se the starter and the serial number right above it but I don't see the window anywhere.

I imagine I should be able to see it when leaning over from the passenger side so I can rotate the distributor while shining the timing light down there But I don't see anything looking like the hole shown in the manual...

Does anyone have a photo showing where it is? Most of the photos in the books show a close up which doesn't tell me where that is or which side it is from.

Thank you.

PS: This is on the stock 3.0 with auto tranny.

 

[Stevehose]

Lean in from the driver's side, it's before the starter on the bell housing at the firewall. So you aim the light in from that side and you reach over with your left hand across the engine to adjust the distributor. Helps to have long arms or an assistant.

 

[deQuincey]

here,
see the brilliant point that is the ball when pointed with the strobo light at 1700 rpms



as steve said, drivers side

 

[bengal taiga]

And if those examples don't work . . .


Follow perimeter where the engine block mates with the bell housing. It is hiding in plain sight.

 

[Bmachine]

Aha! Thank you all for the great replies. I think, as Bengal said, it was hiding in plain sight. Well, at least if you look UNDER the starter and not above as I was doing...

deQuincey's photo showed that it is pretty much aligned with the two heater hoses so that allowed me to find it at last. I was looking in the wrong place.

Interestingly, the area right under the mark is red in my car... I know the tranny was rebuilt years ago but that still seems odd, doesn't it?

Thanks again, guys!

Bo

 

[deQuincey]

Aha! Thank you all for the great replies. I think, as Bengal said, it was hiding in plain sight. Well, at least if you look UNDER the starter and not above as I was doing...

deQuincey's photo showed that it is pretty much aligned with the two heater hoses so that allowed me to find it at last. I was looking in the wrong place.

Interestingly, the area right under the mark is red in my car... I know the tranny was rebuilt years ago but that still seems odd, doesn't it?

Thanks again, guys!

Bo

yep, odd it is, moreover that is supposed to be the flywheel and mine at least is no so thick, be careful as that red paint might have cover the marks, both the OT and the "ball"

 

[Ohmess]

Aha! Thank you all for the great replies. I think, as Bengal said, it was hiding in plain sight. Well, at least if you look UNDER the starter and not above as I was doing...

deQuincey's photo showed that it is pretty much aligned with the two heater hoses so that allowed me to find it at last. I was looking in the wrong place.

Interestingly, the area right under the mark is red in my car... I know the tranny was rebuilt years ago but that still seems odd, doesn't it?

Thanks again, guys!

Bo

Sometimes people paint the area in between the OT and the ball to make it easier to get a frame of reference when beginning the process of setting timing.