Timing Confusion?

[Jeaux]

On my 1975 280S   I wanted to set timing right; so I marked the harmonic balance at 7BTDC and I marked the pin on the right side of the block facing the front of the engine.  When I shinned the timing light on the pin I did not see the mark?
I found the mark on the left side of the block?   Strange I know?  So I found TDC and removed the distrubter and alined the rotor and the distrubter housing just like the shop manual shows and the firing ordering fell into place just like the book shows. Perfect.  Started the enging on first try and evrything is running so I put the light back on the pin and againg the timing mark is on the left side of the block when facing the front of the engine?  My quess is what? Someone installed the pully wrong? The enging does not back fire and or miss. AT least not bad. Does has a small miss every 3 or 4 secs

[wolf_walker]

I am knee deep in a Porsche right now, but the first thing I'd do is verify TDC manually, usually by pulling #1 plug and finding it manually and looking at the timing mark to be sure the balancer isn't off.

[Bandolero]

Either the pulley has been bolted on wrong or the whole damper has slipped.
On my 6.9, the whole damper had slipped and then one day it decided to completely slip.
In other words, it stayed still while the crankshaft spun in the center of it.
Some DH had left out one of the large washers (has 5 in total on the 6.9) so the damper wasn't on far enough.
New washer, pins etc. and all ok. Now I can do the timing!!

[Jeaux]

I will do this that this weekend.  I already know the mark will be on the left side of the block fack the block.   Right now I 'm just turning the cap while jucing the throttle.  I'm close but there is still a hesitation before the carb responds.  This is what I'm trying to work out.  Along with the idle.  Can't get it below 1500 and to do so I belive i'm retarding this engine too much.
thanks

[WGB]

Idle speed should be controlled by air intake only.

It will be impossible to set the timing correctly until you get the idle speed right.

I assume you have the engine properly warm so that the auxillary air valve will be closed.

If the idle is still that high you must have an inlet air leak.

Bill