WD45 Timing Marks Mystery - Pix for Chris

After removing the  rectangular plate under the clutch, I started looking for the timing marks on the flywheel by rotating the flywheel with a screwdriver while under the tractor. I found a set - two marks roughly 2-2.5 inches apart on the flywheel. One had been highlighted with color; the other was not highlighted but an "F" was stamped beside it. Great, I thought. I then checked the positions of the pistons in the cylinders using a piece of stiff wire. #2 & 3 were all the way up, #1 & 4 were all the way down. I then hand cranked the engine around until #1 & 4 were up and rechecked for timing marks on the flywheel....and found a second set, exactly like the first set except that neither mark had been highlighted and this "F" was partly obscured by light surface rust whereas the "F" in the first set was completely visible.

Does anyone know why the flywheel would have two sets of timing marks? Should I go with set #2?

Related question: I think I have #1 cylinder on the compression stroke as the rotor is pointing to the distributor cap post for #1. Make sense?

Thanks for your help!

Dave

Chris pm'd me that the flywheel may be used on two different engines and thus have two sets of timing marks. I will need to nail down which set to use based on what I see when I have #1 at TDC on its compression stroke.

Thanks, everyone.

Dave

The "F" mark represents "FIRE" for a Magneto. Dave has a Distributor, so I would think he has to go by the "T" or "TDC" on the flywheel not the "F".  The 30 degree lag is for the impulse coupler to wind up. By TDC that impulse should let loose and fire the engine. No impulse on a Distributor....

Steve@B&B

1. My spouse did great work spinning the engine with the hand crank while I double checked that I had #1 at TDC. The '45 currently has no starter, so she drove the tow tractor to pull the WD45 up our lane on a slope so I could roll it down to start it.

2. Let the tractor warm up, pulled throttle wide open, and found my highlighted timing mark just a little off the mark. I used the Fire mark from the second set of marks I found - I'm going with the explanation that there were two sets of timing marks on this flywheel because it was used in different applications. I'd love to know if anyone else finds two sets or if I've got the only WD45 with two sets!

3. Rotated the distributor a bit - timing was even further off. Rotated the other direction and got it right on. Engine sounded pretty good to my uneducated ear!

Now I'm back to dealing with the starter. 

I want to thank Sugarmaker who pm'd a lot of guidance to me and to everyone who responded on this thread. 

BTW, I talked with Steve in NJ and we figured out that his comment about using the TDC mark to time the engine assumed that I'd be timing at an idle. He agreed with using the Fire mark if timing at 1,000 rpm as advised by the manual. So Steve and Ed (Ont) are on the same page.  

You did real good. and now you can mentor someone else in the details of timing one of these old orange tractors. It seems pretty simple, and like someone said dont over think it. But I did the same thing on the first WD I had taken the distributor off of. I called Don(MO) and he walked me through the whole process in about 10 minutes. And we also talked about the weather and the grandkids!:)

We need some pictures.

Regards,

Chris