Timing on a Lincoln...

[myk]

Hello everyone.

Trying to time a friend's '61 Lincoln Continental with the 430.  When I first hit it with the gun it was reading about 15 ATDC.  I started to rotate the distributor but I soon ran into a problem: I couldn't retard the engine any further because the vacuum canister on the distributor was now right up against something and it couldn't rotate any more. 

Is this normal?  The most I could retard the motor was about 6 BTDC, and I'd really like to get it at 10 or more, but how can I do that if the distributor physically can't be rotated any more? Can the vacuum canister on the distributor be moved?  Thanks in advance for any advice given...

[Troy]

Try this:
http://www.dodgecharger.com/forum/index.php/topic,61003.0.html

I did a quick Google search and the factory setting is 8 degrees BTDC.

Troy

[TylerCharger69]

I have seen instances where you can rotate the plug wires one space without pulling the distributor......if it's that far off