Static distributor setting

[McMini 22]

Is there any way to set the distributor to an initial setting before the engine is started?
Mine has been off and the marks I made can't be seen as I painted the block.
I used to do static timing on the mini as it had points and was easy!
I have a multimeter and a strobe light so must be able to work something out as a starting point.

 

[frank]

just fit it in the middle and then strobe it (in base timing mode)

 

[McMini 22]

Cheers. I'll give that a try.
Not sure what you mean by 'base timing mode'. Is it just unplug the tps and raise the rpm?
Engine is fitted in a mini and has not been run for 3 years so just getting there slowly!

 

[frank]

yes thats right, if you drop the idle rpm and the ecu advances the timing on your strobe, then you will know its not in base idle mode, but if the idle slows down and the timing remains stable then its in base idle mode