Arwyn`s wise suggestions re confirming timing marks by feeling for TDC through the plug hole reminded me of my early years of working on my old m/cycle engines, where the method of timing involved measuring the height of the piston relative to TDC through the plug hole and setting the Mag using a bit of fag paper from a roll-up to detect when the points were about to open.... Of course technology moved with the times when it was no longer thought acceptable to double the thickness of the cardboard on a fag packet to determine a the plug gap, when we could now afford to buy and use feeler gauges for such tasks.. In time we even got into high tec in setting the timing on cars by lining up the timing marks, ign switched on, and using a transistor radio just off station with the volume up, to then slowly turn the dizzy until the radio crackled to inform us the points had just broken... Job done.. (-: Just as well technology moves on given few folk smoke these days thus the old timers (no pun intended) would have been stuck looking for feeler gauge substitutes.. (-:
Dug out my old Haynes Ford Cortina76-82 1593 -1993 CC manual that suggests 6 deg BTDC for the 1600, and 8 deg for the Ghia which I suspect is down to a possible difference in compression ratio, though as with all Morgans of a certain age, who knows how heavily they may have been breathed on over the years making standard engine settings somewhat inappropriate today..? Of course changes in fuel makeup can also complicate perfecting ign timing older machinery these days too..
I note you have checked that the dizzy advance system is operational, I ever check the initial operation of the springs and bob weights by twisting the rotor arm and watching it spring back to confirm the outer shaft on which the points lobes are mounted is free to rotate on the inner shaft that is directly connected to the camshaft drive... In some dizzys there can be found a felt pad when the rotor arm is removed, on to which a few drips of oil was added as a maintenance task to lubricate between the the outer shaft to avoid seizure over time...
Initial check of the vacuum advance was to remove the dizzy cap and watch for movement of the plate the points are mounted on as one sucked on the end of the vacuum pipe that was removed from the inlet manifold and watching as it sprung back when stopping sucking... Of course the maximum vacuum is generated on the over-run when the throttle plate is closed and inlet manifold depression is increased at which time the timing is automatically adjusted to suit.
Some cars were more succeptable to fuel vaporisation than others when attempting hot engine starts, and I think have read of where modern fuels may exaccerbate such issues, though if you suspect vacuum build up defeating the fuel pump if you remove the filler you could perhaps detect an obvious intake of air after an engine run..?
Hope this ramble assists in your appreciation of old cars, even if it does not solve any of your ...err... foibles... I am sure Arwyn, Spanner Juggler and others will be keen to help you get it all back to ship shape in jug time..
Happy Morganeering OLD STYLE... (-:
