[Spridgets] engine timing

[David Lieb]

Joe,
Yes, #1 is farthest from firewall or closest to radiator, take your pick ;-)
TDC is not always accurate...  you have to pull the valve cover in order to 
KNOW whether it is supposed to be firing this time around.
Each cylinder hits TDC twice per cycle. Once when it is time to fire and 
once when it is finishing pushing the exhaust gases out. Whenever #1 is at 
TDC, #4 is, too. When it is ready to fire, BOTH rocker arms for that 
cylinder will be a little loose (compare to #4).

Another thing to triple-check is that you have not switched the plug wires 
for #2 and #3. We have all done it; I was hard-wired for small-block Chevy 
with a distributor that rotates clockwise... this one rotates anticlockwise. 
The only real difference to the plugwires is that 2 and 3 are switched. This 
gives an engine that goes putt putt putt bang.

Remember that the plug fires when the points OPEN, not when they close.

Which electronic dizzy did you get? 123/Mini? Pertronix? I haven't played 
with the Pertronix distributor (I have with the conversion), but I am 
familiar with the 123/Mini.

As Jack says, check to see that you are getting a spark at each wire.
David