Which way do the ww1 era cars start? Do you advance the timing until the car starts and then retard it or reverse this procedure? Trying to remember. Thanks

 

You retard the timing to start, then advance to run, then vary the advance based on load as you drive.

If you do not retard the spark enough, the engine will kick back, and the crank can break your arm.

- Eric

 

How do you know its retarded? We're they all set up that bringing the lever literally down would retard it and then up to advance or could it be reversed? How would you know if it were set up wrong? Does the distributer actually turn? And if so would one direction indicate retard or advance? Thanks

 

You could confirm operation by observing the movement of the points plate inside the distributor.

I do not believe that there was uniformity in the way that the timing levers worked.

- Eric

 

They had a scale that told you roughly how much it was advanced or retarded. (see attached)

Not all moved the points plate, some actually moved the distributor.

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