Hey all, this is where the timing is currently at on my 84 LG4.
It is stock standard apart from headers.

Would just like thought/opinion on it. Looks to be way advanced to me?? Should I touch it?

Just to clarify:
There are no starting issues when cold or warm.

It does not overheat (only ever reads to the first line after the 100* mark or slightly past i.e., 165/170 deg).

Has very good throttle response, occasional very slight stumble from takeoff, barely perceptible

No pinging/pinking that I can hear.

No dieseling/run-on/pre-igniting.

Does have rich condition.
Throws code for O2 sensor detecting a rich condition
Plugs seem to be one step colder than factory going by cross-refernce (Bosch hr9bc, should be hr10bc). They also have a .035 gap according to what I can find.

EVAP is only half there, no CCV, only a line from tank to canister.

It runs on 95 or 98RON unleaded.

Carb is replacement rebuilt CCC Q-jet from 1982 Chevrolet (17082204) but I do have the original (17084201).

Pic shows where timing notch is. Was dyno tuned in 2015 (4000 miles ago).

Cheers

 

Sounds like the "timing" is fine.

Leave it alone.

If you just HAVE TO, adjust it A LITTLE one way or the other. One of 3 things will happen: it will run better, it will run worse, or nothing at all will happen.

"Better" and "worse" are totally up to you. Some combination of power, throttle response, gas mileage, operating temp, freedom from pinging, etc. etc. etc. as YOU happen to like YOUR car to work the way YOU drive it where YOU live on the roads YOU have available to YOU on the fuel YOU can buy TODAY (as opposed to the fuel back in 84) and so forth.

EFFFF a bunch of "mark" and "light, and looing up "spec" in "book". Unless you have already verified that your crank damper hasn't slipped (i.e. "mark" is accurate) and that you're living in 1984, then "spec" is WRONG. "Book" isn't the place to go for the right answer.

So, if you adjust it:

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.
If nothing happens, put it back where it was, tighten the bolt, shut the hood, and drive the car to work on Monday, and put "timing" out of your mind.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

If it runs better, adjust it a little more the same way.
If it runs worse, adjust it back to where it was, plus a bit more.

Better / worse?

Eventually you'll get it to where no matter which way you adjust it, it's worse.

When you get there, it's PERFECT. (or at least, as perfect as it can get, given all the other factors that affect it)

We call this process "tuning". It consists of, asking the engine what IT wants, rather than attempting to force onto it what WE think it OUGHT TO want. THE ENGINE will tell you in no uncertain terms when it's happy.

Remember ONE SIMPLE truism that is SO SIMPLE, it almost hurts. It's so simple that it's eeeeeeeeezy to overlook it and then outsmart yourself over it.

"if it RUNS good, it IS good".

That's all there is to it.

Then tighten the bolt, shut the hood, and drive the car to work on Monday, and put "timing" out of your mind.

 

Hey sofakingdom, thanks heaps for your response.

I was only concerned that it was giving me a false sense of security and that I may doing some actual slowly-creeping harm.

I'm a big proponent of "if it ain't broke....."

I've only had the car since January so have never touched the timing.

The way it runs now, I have no interest in screwing around with it if it is deemed unnecessary.

The mark is past the saw-tooth indicators so don't know what it's actually set at, but it makes me wonder about putting in hotter plugs...

 

Was the timing checked with the 4 wire connector coming out of the other side of the distributor base disconnected?
Original balancer? Outer ring hasn't slipped?
Original timing cover/pointer?

 

I did not touch anything at the distributor as there is no vacuum advance. Are you referring to the ECM connector?

 

I guess you can call it that.
This must be disconnected to check the timing.

 

Ah that might explain the reading then

Looks like a bitch to get to but I'll have a crack later today.

Cheers

 

Why? What would be the advantage of that?

Do you understand what "hotter" means, in the context of spark plugs?

 

To try and decrease the fouling I'm getting on the current ones due to the rich condition I seem to have.

It's all stock so may as well run the equivalent stock plug (R45TSX won't clear headers).

 

Well this has me stumped.

Started it this morning and idles like a rough pig and smokes like a damn chimney.

I never adjusted or touched anything. Ran fine yesterday. Searched high and low for anything I may inadvertently bumped, disconnected etc but all looks normal.

WTH is going on......doing my head in.

 

See if your electric choke is still connected and working.

 

Had another looksee.....

Number 5 and 6 leads at the dizzy clicked back in. Must've popped them up while locating the connector at the back there.

Took it for a run, smoothed out back to normal now.

 

Here's what the EST looks like. Its by the heater fan motor. Here's the timing procedure.
=
Start car and idle until the car is at operating temp. Disconnect the EST wire, adjust timing, reconnect EST wire. Shut off car .

Take it easy on the car for a day or two. Street and a little highway driving so the ECM can learn its new parameters. It can take a little while but after that it should run fine.

 

84 LG4 doesn't have that connecter setup.

 

The connector you need to disconnect to set the base timing is shown in the attached image.

 

Cool. I'll get into it over the weekend
Cheers guys