i am having problems with timing the stroker motor i have built. i set timing by ear and it runs fine. i put a timing light on it and the timing mark sets up on the top of the balancer (under the waterpump). it is a 40 over chevy stroker, i think its like a 388 stroker or sutch.

i get the timing mark to where the timing plate is that bolts to the timing cover and itdies.i am thinking thati might have the firing order 1 off maybe. don't know if that would make the timing mark that high under the water pump or not.

anyone that has built a stroker i could use the help.

 

If the timing in your car is computer controlled, you need to diconnect the control wire from the distributor before attempting to time it.The stroker is no different from any other small block as far as timing marks go. You should have checked that the timing marks and the degree plate were properly aligned when the heads were off. Now it can still be done ( the hard way) by using a timing bolt threaded into the No 1 plug hole. Summit and Jegs sell them for a few bux. Basically, you put the bolt in so that it touches the top of the piston don't force things. With the bolt touching the piston the engine will turn in only one direction. Turn the engine by hand about a 1/4 of a turn in whichever direction it will turn, then tun it back until the piston touches the bolt again (this gets all the slack out), now mark the front damper where it lines up with the "0"deg. marker on the plate. Turn the engine by hand in the opposite direction till the piston touches bolt again, and mark the damper like you done before. Now you should have 2 marks on the damper. Use a tape measure and measure the distance between the 2 marks (make sure the tape follows the outside curve of the damper). Split the distance in half and mark the damper. This last mark will indicate TDC when it lines up against the "0" mark on the degree plate. Don't forget to remove the bolt before using the starter.
Several things could have happened: using a front cover from a different engine, using an aftermarket degree plate, the outside ring on the damper could have slipped (common on stock dampers), you are using an aftermarket damper that needs to be timed.