Thread: 1973 dodge 360 cid. no timing indicator

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I just traded for a 1974 dart with a 360 engine , and it doesnt have a timing indicator on the timing cover. does this year model engine use a bolt on, an if so where should i search for one ? thanks

I have had only one 360, Daryl, so I'm not the world's greatest authority on the engines, but mine had timing marks cast onto the timing gear cover (driver side) right next to the vibration damper.

No pointer or anything.

There is a tdc mark on the edge of the damper to line up with the proper raised line on the casting.

The 318 in my old Dodge has the same setup.

Did that make sense at all?


Jim

yes, I have seen 318s and 360s with marks casted in the timing cover, but this one doesnt have anything. Thanks

1st find tdc, then being that it is a '70 & later motor..it should have the the tdc mark on the balancer at around 2 o' clock, make a mark on the cover and that will get get you pretty darn close or close enough.

I know its been a bit since anyone responded with this, but i figured I'd throw in my 2 cents.. I have done a bit of work on dodge vans, and with the 318 and 360's the timing plate is seen from underneath, from the drivers side.. i'd say its at 4:30 to 5 o-clock if your looking at the front of the vehicle.. it makes since due to not having much room to get a timing light in there and getting a line of sight (I know this by placing a used 360 out of a truck in a van, the power steering bracket is right in the way).. Maybe the motor came from a van? Or the motor was rebuilt and they used a van timing cover??? I have not run into this in any other dodge, just the vans... Hope that helps...

My 73 318 Van had a hole in the bell housing and a mark on the flywheel, You may need to find TDC and make your own or The 360 in my 53 Willys always gets timed with a vacuum gauge and it does have marks

Hopefully Daryl got it figured out in the 18 months since he posted his question, but I think I'd get it to #1 TDC compression, see where the marks on the dampner are relative to the timing cover and then make a simple sheet metal pointer that uses the closest pair of bolts if the OEM pointer is gone, or if they used flywheel marks.