ClassicCar

Hudson308 wrote:

Here’s a quick 48-56 HUDSON 6CYL TIMING CHAIN ALIGNMENT shot for the guys on Google.

There’s a stamped alignment mark at 2:00 along the edge of the (top) cam gear. This mark should be 7 full chain links from the mark at 2:00 on the crank gear. At this point #1 and 6 cylinders are both at TDC, with #6 just before power stroke, #1 just finished exhaust. Crank key will be at/close to straight up. Engine spins clockwise as viewed from the front. Note the slack in the chain… typical for a stock Hudson six with any real miles on it.



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You should of said, 6 full links and a half link at both ends, this makes 7 full links. Some read as 7 full links and are off by one link. Walt.

Yikes, there's got to be 6-7 degrees of "flop" in that chain!

HUDSON 6 CYL OIL PUMP & DISTRIBUTOR ALIGNMENT

With the engine rotated to the position noted at the top of this thread, the distributor drive slot in the oil pump gear will be horizontal (or very close) with the slot offset below center as viewed down the distributor hole. This is true for the early (‘48-‘50?) sixes with the distributor clocked so the vacuum advance is near 1:00-2:00 and has a right-angle vacuum line fitting. This is how the factory J-2794 alignment tool must set it.



I’ve seen later (’51-‘54?) sixes with the distributor clocked so that the vacuum advance is near 10:00-11:00, with a straight vacuum line fitting. In this case the oil pump should be inserted so the distributor drive slot ends up one tooth (36 deg.) counter-clockwise from horizontal with the crank/cam positioned as noted above. My ’52 service manual specifies the same J-2794 alignment tool as my ’49 manual does, so I’m wondering if they changed the tool or if the tool number in the newer manual is wrong. In both cases the rotor should be pointed at (or slightly past) the distributor cap post used for the number six plug wire, with the crank/cam positioned as noted.

Park W wrote:

If anyone's ever had the oil pump out of the engine, the dist. rotor could be pointed anywhere!

Yup, easy to do as anyone who's assembled one of these engines can testify. The oil pump (and thus the distributor) can be inserted 10 different ways, with the result that distributor "clocking" can be way off for those trying to get the vacuum advance orientation correct. Thought I'd add a post describing where things should be, for those folks looking online for this info.

walt's garage-53 wrote:

Just make sure you set the engine on number one cylinder before you remove the oil pump, then just install it back in and where ever to rotor faces, that's number one. Just install wires, starting at #1 then go clock wise, 5-3-6-2-4. Set timing and you are ready to go. Walt.

That is a quick way to get the engine running without regard to where #1 ends up, Walt. However if you've already tailored the length of your plug wires to match the original distributor orientation, that won't work... especially if you don't want to cut the factory plug wire loops open to move the wires around. I've had a couple of local chapter members with a strong desire to get #1 back to where "the book" shows it should be, and they've asked for help with that. There might be others out there in internet land with the same desire.

The answer depends on what you mean by "the vacuum advance pointing up", Jeff. The engines I've worked on are adjusted to proper timing with the vacuum advance pointed to one of two places.

Earlier stepdowns with the coil bolted just in front of the middle frost plug will have the advance pointed somewhere around 1:30. In this position #4 and #1 terminals will both be at the top, with #1 lined up best with the vacuum advance.

On later stepdowns with the coil bolted directly above the middle frost plug, the vacuum advance will point somewhere around 11:00 with the oil pump inserted in the original place. In this case the #1 plug wire terminal will basically be at the top by itself, flanked by #4 to the left and #5 to the right.

In both cases the engine has been rotated so the "0" timing mark on the flywheel is lined up with the pointer, at #6 firing position as you described. The reason I keep referencing #6 firing instead of #1 is because that's where the drawing in the Hudson Shop Manual shows the timing chain oriented, similar to my first photo above.

gustavoh wrote:

thanks you guys i tried the suggestions of lining up the udc mark on the flywheel with the compression stroke on #1 cylinder it put #1 lead on the distributer cap someplace about 10 Oclock. I hot wired the coil to the battery as im still waiting for the wiring harness poured a bit of gas down the carb touched the solenoid button and a couple cranks later it lit right up . then i droped the fuel line into a small gas can started it up again and fooled around with the carb setting and the dist advance and its still a tiny bit rough but its running and i am on my way to success with this 46 pick up truck !!!!!!!!!!! thanks again guys

Glad to hear it, Gustav. If you haven't already, put a timing light on it with the vacuum advance disconnected (& plugged) and dial it in to about the middle of those flywheel marks, for starters. Then check to see that the vacuum advance works and holds vacuum using one of those hand-squeeze pumps.



And post some pictures... we love pictures!