Timing question
05-14-2023, 05:32 AM
#1
Timing question
So I'm trying to time my 85 firebird.
How do I eliminate the computer to set initial timing?
It was originally a carb car....
I'm following the write up on how to time the car, but it says to look for a tan/black stripe wire in a weather pack.
YouTube videos mostly show tpi cars with a wire near the heater core...I dont have that wire....or cant find it.
Should i be I disconnecting the wires that plug into the distributor on the driver side?
How do I eliminate the computer to set initial timing?
It was originally a carb car....
I'm following the write up on how to time the car, but it says to look for a tan/black stripe wire in a weather pack.
YouTube videos mostly show tpi cars with a wire near the heater core...I dont have that wire....or cant find it.
Should i be I disconnecting the wires that plug into the distributor on the driver side?
05-14-2023, 08:18 AM
#2
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Re: Timing question
Right, the carbed cars don't have that wire.
There's a big flat black Weatherpack plug with either 4 or 5 wires (can't recall for sure) that hangs out of the dist base. Probably toward the rear. You just unplug that, then start the car and set the timing. It'll set the Check Engine light; you'll have to disconnect the batt for about a minute or so afterwards to reset that.
Odds are it'll run AHELLUVALOT better if you just advance the timing (rotate the dist body CCW) until it just barely begins to ping, then back it back off some. May or may not be exactly "right" that way, but given the priorities the factory spec is designed for - emissions, crappy early 80s fuel, emissions, full altitude range from Death Valley to 20,000', emissions, full temp range from Great Plains in the winter to Death Valley or Miami in the summer, emissions, and oh by the way I may have forgot to mention the single biggest one which was EMISSIONS - you can probably ignore the "spec" and just set it to where it runs the best, without all that fiddling around.
There's a big flat black Weatherpack plug with either 4 or 5 wires (can't recall for sure) that hangs out of the dist base. Probably toward the rear. You just unplug that, then start the car and set the timing. It'll set the Check Engine light; you'll have to disconnect the batt for about a minute or so afterwards to reset that.
Odds are it'll run AHELLUVALOT better if you just advance the timing (rotate the dist body CCW) until it just barely begins to ping, then back it back off some. May or may not be exactly "right" that way, but given the priorities the factory spec is designed for - emissions, crappy early 80s fuel, emissions, full altitude range from Death Valley to 20,000', emissions, full temp range from Great Plains in the winter to Death Valley or Miami in the summer, emissions, and oh by the way I may have forgot to mention the single biggest one which was EMISSIONS - you can probably ignore the "spec" and just set it to where it runs the best, without all that fiddling around.
05-14-2023, 08:31 AM
#3
Re: Timing question
Right, the carbed cars don't have that wire.
There's a big flat black Weatherpack plug with either 4 or 5 wires (can't recall for sure) that hangs out of the dist base. Probably toward the rear. You just unplug that, then start the car and set the timing. It'll set the Check Engine light; you'll have to disconnect the batt for about a minute or so afterwards to reset that.
Odds are it'll run AHELLUVALOT better if you just advance the timing (rotate the dist body CCW) until it just barely begins to ping, then back it back off some. May or may not be exactly "right" that way, but given the priorities the factory spec is designed for - emissions, crappy early 80s fuel, emissions, full altitude range from Death Valley to 20,000', emissions, full temp range from Great Plains in the winter to Death Valley or Miami in the summer, emissions, and oh by the way I may have forgot to mention the single biggest one which was EMISSIONS - you can probably ignore the "spec" and just set it to where it runs the best, without all that fiddling around.
There's a big flat black Weatherpack plug with either 4 or 5 wires (can't recall for sure) that hangs out of the dist base. Probably toward the rear. You just unplug that, then start the car and set the timing. It'll set the Check Engine light; you'll have to disconnect the batt for about a minute or so afterwards to reset that.
Odds are it'll run AHELLUVALOT better if you just advance the timing (rotate the dist body CCW) until it just barely begins to ping, then back it back off some. May or may not be exactly "right" that way, but given the priorities the factory spec is designed for - emissions, crappy early 80s fuel, emissions, full altitude range from Death Valley to 20,000', emissions, full temp range from Great Plains in the winter to Death Valley or Miami in the summer, emissions, and oh by the way I may have forgot to mention the single biggest one which was EMISSIONS - you can probably ignore the "spec" and just set it to where it runs the best, without all that fiddling around.
So it's the same procedure as that walkthrough then? Unplug distributor, set timing, rebook dist, unplug battery, then joyride...lol
05-14-2023, 11:32 AM
#4
Re: Timing question
I've looked twice through the service manual for 1985, and am fairly certain that I didn't miss anything. I can find all the steps you indicated about unplugging the EST connector, setting the base timing, reconnecting, and clearing the codes, but that last step is not printed in my manual. 
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BillComm (05-14-2023)
05-14-2023, 01:12 PM
#5
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Re: Timing question
but that last step is not printed in my manual.
I've always had to do that, or put up with 50 operating cycles before it reset itself. Last edited by sofakingdom; 05-14-2023 at 03:54 PM.
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BillComm (05-14-2023)
05-14-2023, 05:25 PM
#6
Re: Timing question
I've looked twice through the service manual for 1985, and am fairly certain that I didn't miss anything. I can find all the steps you indicated about unplugging the EST connector, setting the base timing, reconnecting, and clearing the codes, but that last step is not printed in my manual.
Being it's an 85...i think the only thing the ecm is controlling anymore is the timing...it has an edelbrock carb on it now, belt driven fan, and mechanical fuel pump car...
can I just unplug the ecm fuse, set timing...ect?
05-14-2023, 05:29 PM
#7
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Re: Timing question
Hard to say. Better to just do it right and worry about the hackage later. You can clean all that up at some other time, or gradually as the spirit moves you.
Or, as described, EFFFF abuncha "mark" "tab" "light" "book" "spec" bow-down-and-worship gibberish, and instead use common sense, and just set it to where the car runs the best it can.
Or, as described, EFFFF abuncha "mark" "tab" "light" "book" "spec" bow-down-and-worship gibberish, and instead use common sense, and just set it to where the car runs the best it can.
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BillComm (05-14-2023)
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