I have known something wasn't right since last year. After my mods I never really got it to run like I thought it should. It's been sitting for the winter, but I got it out this past week.

I replaced the pickup coil yesterday(old one was cruddy, and wires were a little decentigraded). I checked the timimg with advanced hooked up. It just doesn't advance more than maybe 30* including base timing. I haven't hooked the laptop up to it this year, but it was doing the same thing last year, and I wasn't getting many knock counts.

What should the timing advance to? Could it just be the way my stock chip is setup? Could this be in the ESC module? Could it be the knock sensor? Hooked to winaldl my car doesn't really show up as many knocks as my friends car, and his timing advances a lot smoother and further than mine.

I checked some part numbers on the Net just now, I think I can take the module from my v6 car and put it in the v8 car. The part numbers match(GP Sorenson). This might give me some proof either way on the ESC module theory.

 

Which is it, 20 or 30? And at what RPM?

It should idle around 20. Probably around 30 @ 2000-3000rpm (with the base set at the factory spec of 0)

You can't read max advance like with a mechanical distributor. Running the engine up to 4000-5000 rpm with no load on it isn't gonna show you the WOT advance.

The MAP sensor controls advance sorta directly. So..... If you don't have a load on the engine the ECM will never access the WOT timing values.

 

I don't have a lot of engine mods, but I can tell you with my base timing set to 0* BTDC, with my Jet Stage II chip installed, I've run it to 4000 RPM and got ~40* total advance.

Basically I did exactly what you did.

I let the car run for ~10 minutes to get it warm, then shut it off. I disconnected the ESC, started it back up and set the timing to 0*. I shut the car off. Hooked the ESC back up. Started the car. Checked the timing and got 22* BTDC.

Next I had a friend get in and run it up to 4000 RPM and hold it there. It actually went to 42* BTDC. The only problem is relying on the stock tach. They can be off as mush as 250 RPM either direction.

For those about to call I have a Sunpro CP7519 timing gun with a dial on the back. And it isn't cordless (which have been known to be off sometimes).

I'm not saying that Brent is wrong, but riddle me this..... wouldn't it make more sense that the EST would advance the timing MORE when the engine isn't under load, since putting an engine under load is what causes it to detonate?

Take it FWIW, but I can do it with the stock chip installed if you like. It'll be a few days before I get the chance though. I'm heading to Kentucky tomorrow and won't be back 'till either Tuesday afternoon or early evening.

TTYL,
AJ