Do I need a dentist? Am I one tooth off?

[grantgsr]

OK I got the timing belt on on my 71 a week or so ago. It took me a while to get everything else hooked back up and filled before I really wanted to let it run much. This morning I finally finished filling the radiator, so I thought I'd take it out. I had noticed it had a slight miss while idling, but it did before I changed the timing belt (I just bought the car a month ago) and I haven't yet installed new wires so I thought it might be that. However, when I tried to drive it, it would lunge every second or so and would not accelerate smoothly (please no jokes about operator error here, it was more than just knowing how to drive a stick). It did not do this before I changed the timing belt, so the question is, am I one (or more) tooth off in my timing belt install? What other signs/symptoms should I look for?

Also, assuming I have to reinstall the belt, can I make that adjustment without removing the radiator this time? Again, its a 71 with a 1608. The thought of having to drain/remove/install/fill/burp again is really demoralizing. Thanks.

Grant

[So Cal Mark]

it's pretty easy to check the cam timing; just put the crank on tdc, then look at the holes in the backside of the cam gears. They should line up with the boss on the cam housing. You have an interference motor, so I'd suggest checking it without running the engine any longer. If you are a tooth or more off, it can be corrected without removing the radiator

[pwilliam]

Thought this might help solve my rough idle issue. What is the boss on the cam housing? Is that the pointer that you align the holes on the cams too, or is it another casting mark that is used to help align the cams?

[aj81spider]

If you look at the back of the cam gears you can see it. It's a nub that points up at the hole in the gear from the back.

[grrrdot]

You can see the raised fins on the cam boxes lining up with the holes on the cam wheels in this picture:

I borrowed the image from this thread: http://www.fiatspider.com/f15/viewtopic.php?t=30655

[pwilliam]

Turned the crank to TDC,

Photo 1: Intake Cam


Photo 2: Exhaust Cam


Does anyone think I am off a tooth or is this negligible? If it is off one tooth on the exhaust, would this cause the 25 degrees advance timing my car seems to prefer at idle (distributor adjusted to produce highest rpm, set by ear not by marks on belt cover)?

Thanks in advance!

[ORFORD2004]

From pictures you look good

[pwilliam]

Photo 1 looks dead on. Photo 2 shows the exhaust a bit behind the casting mark. Again, not sure if this amount is negligible or not. Maybe I'm overthinking it?