Ive adjusted the timing with a light as good as i can get. The line moves a bit, so it looks like the dizzy is due for a replacement.
As mentioned, it may be the timing chain instead or a combination of both. It could also be weak springs in the dizzy which is a piece of cake to fix.
DISTRIBUTOR WEAR TEST
1. Disconnect the vacuum advance and plug the port on the carb.
2. Suck on the hose going to the vac can to see if it has a leak.
3. Remove the dist cam and rotor then grab the shaft and try to wiggle it. It should have from zero to just a tiny bit of play. If it is fairly sloppy the bushings are bad.
4. Reinstall the rotor and make sure it fits tight on the shaft.
5. Put a screw driver blade between the points to open them up then rotate the rotor until it stops then very slowly let it return by itself. Once it stops moving, try to rotate it back to its full stop position. If it moves any more, the springs are likely weak.
6. Rotate the rotor from full stop just a little, if it moves extremely easily, the springs are weak. There should be a fair amount of resistance to turning.
TIMING CHAIN PLAY TEST
Put a mark on the damper at tdc with liquid white out or similar. Rotate the engine until the timing mark is at tdc. Rotate the engine the opposite direction until you see the distributor rotor start to move then put a mark on the damper. If the marks are more then 10 mm apart, your timing set is wasted. If thy are 5 mm apart, the chain is not worn, however, if it is the original chain, it must be replaced irregardless because they have a plastic upper gear that gets brittle after 50 years and will break at some point.
Do this test a couple times to make certain you are doing it correctly to eliminate inaccurate readings. Every time you return the engine to tdc, go past tdc around 10 mm then rotate it back to tdc then start the test again. This will remove any slack in the chain.
IGNITION TIMING TEST
With the engine warm, start engine then lower the idle so it is fairly slow but not close to stalling.
Set the timing to 6 degrees before tdc.
Lower idle again if necessary
Rotate the distributor clockwise 3 degrees and listen for an increase in rpm. If the rpm increase noticeably, like by maybe 100 rpm. Ths is a better setting.
Lower idle to its previous setting and rotate the distributor clockwise 3 degrees and listen for an increase in rpm. If the rpm increase noticeably, like by maybe 100 rpm. This is a better setting.
Lower idle to its previous setting and rotate the distributor clockwise 3 degrees and listen for an increase in rpm. If the rpm increase noticeably, like by maybe 100 rpm. This is a better setting.
Keep doing this until the rpm increase by very little or not at all. Once this point is reached, reduce the timing by 3 degrees and this should be very close to ideal for idling.
Next you get to set the idle back to 6 degrees then set the rpm to around 2000 and do the same test.
Post all results.
CRANK DAMPER
We need more info on your engine. If it is stock, do not buy a $300.00 balancer. Get a stock replacement. There is a company based in oz that makes some very good ones but I have alzheimers and can't remember the name now.
BLING & REMOVING SHOCK TOWERS
Nothing wrong with bling or body mods.
If you are not racing it and just want it to look custom, go ahead, but see what engineering approvals you need first.
