M10 timing scale

[djorevich]

I'm just checking to see if I am crazy or not. When I was young, I owned a 77 320i.  I could swear I timed that car with a traditional timing scale on the front of the engine, not the ball on the flywheel.   I can't find any reference to this. This would be nice to fit in the front of my 2002 engine. But if this is true, I guess it's see kits all over the place. 

Edited January 7, 2022 by djorevich

[Son of Marty]

Most if not all 02 engines did have timing marks on the front of the engine but they did change the location of those marks several times during production, so if your lower front cover is not original or you don't know for sure you'd need to verify the marks. BMW used the flywheel ball because it is more accurate once you get used to using it and cut the ball in half with the flat part of the bellhousing hole.

['76mintgrün'02]

Or use the OT line on the flywheel (which marks TDC) and use one of these to measure the advance throughout the RPM range.

 

INNOVA 5568

 

 

 

 

[djorevich]

I'll have to take a close look this evening. 

[mike472]

Use the mark on crank pulley with an adjustable timing light.  Put a dot of yellow paint in the notch cut into the pulley at TDC. There may be a couple of notches so be careful to get the one for TDC.  Makes it much easier to see.  My Inka car seems happy at 33 Degrees advance at about 3000 RPM.  You can see how your advance mechanism is working a lot easier on the crank pulley.  You can see the mark moving back and forth as you rev the engine. That ball in the flywheel can get rusty and hard to see, never mind getting a good shot at it with your timing light.  Difficult at best.

[John76]

17 hours ago, '76mintgrün'02 said:

Or use the OT line on the flywheel (which marks TDC)

 

What does your TDC mark look like?

                                 ___  ___  ___   ___

I have seen several:  TO, OT, OL, LO

Was this a workday (Monday) or a seasonal (Octoberfest) effect on the eyesight of the BMW flywheel stampers?

Steve (Conserv) any thoughts??

Here is what mine looks like.

 

 

['76mintgrün'02]

1 minute ago, John76 said:

Here is what mine looks like.

 

 

Just to add a little more confusion, yours looks like TC to me.

 

Mine's the OT variety, but I don't have a photo of it.  I think it looks about like the one in this photo that Ed posted a while back.  https://www.bmw2002faq.com/forums/topic/204910-pulley-timing-marks/?do=findComment&comment=1202288

 

 

There have been a lot of discussions about whether to use the pulley or the flywheel. Here are the search results for [ timing flywheel pulley pointer ] https://www.bmw2002faq.com/search/?q=timing flywheel pulley pointer&quick=1 to help you decide which one to use.

 

I had trouble seeing the Z BB and OT line on the flywheel until I cleaned the rust off and put a dab of white paint on them.  The marks are near the front of the flywheel, which makes them a little harder to see, but once you figure out how to position yourself/the light, it isn't difficult.  (Admittedly, I've had a LOT of practice).  The bottom of the oval hole is not rounded on the driver's side; it's straight and that's the side to reference when taking a reading.

 

Tom

 

 

[Hans]

I'm fortunate to have a pin attached to the front cover.  I marked OT and 33 deg with white paint on the pulley. Much easier to  see

[John76]

1 hour ago, '76mintgrün'02 said:

yours looks like TC

C = California

O = Others

[mike472]

One sure way is to take your valve cover off and look at the cam mark.  Once that cam mark is lined up with the mark on the head the pointer  should be lined up with the notch in the pulley for TDC