MG Car Repair: Timing markers 1965 MKII midget, tdc mark, coat hanger

Question
I expected to see the timimg markers/pointers on the bottom of the timing cover when viewed from the front as shown on the owners manual illustration pg 22 - the longer arrow pointing straight down and the smaller ones 5 and 10 degrees to the right of that. They aren't there and I can't find any evidence they ever were - no spot weld bumps or anything. So, I estimated where I thought they should be from the illustration and made marks with the TDC mark straight down (six o'clock) and set the timing accordingly - 5 degrees BTDC. Not only is that the way the illustration shows them, but also, I figure they would have to be down where you could see them. If this is right, it was way advanced - like 60 degrees - before I messed with it and now car runs worse than it did before. Is my assumption that the TDC marker would be at the very bottom (6 o'clock like in the picture) a good assumption? Thanks

Answer
Hi kevin,
You should look at the engine number to see if the engine has been changed. Your engine should be a 1098cc engine and the prefix on the engine number should be "10CC" and the Vin number should be between Gan-3-25788 to 45905.

The timing cover could have been changed in it's life time too. If it were mine I would pull # 1 plug and put the car in 4th gear with the brake off and your thumb over the plug hole and role the car forward using the top of the front tire as a handle. When you feel the compression stop and get a piece of stiff wire like a coat hanger and feel the top of the piston through the plug hole as you move the car forward you will be able to feel TDC accurately. Once you have that I would mark the front pulley with a chisel or such in a place that is more accessible and opposite that on the timing cover clean and paint a thin line. That is then a more accessible TDC timing mark. You can paint the 5 and 10 deg. marks at one forth inch from the TDC mark. Or if you have access to a timing light that has the dial in degrees, you can set it at each degree you want a mark for and look with the light to see where the mark on the pulley is positioned to be very accurate.
Howard