I have this knocking in my engine(prolly not the first time you heard that) but the problem is that i have no idea what it is. Ive read the timing articles and boards and the only problem i have with that is ive never really had a problem starting my car or anything so i dont think its the timing. I dont know how to read a timing light or really set it anyways. Or how to get to the distributor bolt at an angle to loosen it up. But back to the problem-it will begin to knock on startup after about 15 secs and from then on you can hear pretty loud but only when your not on the gas. Whenever you are on the gas you cant hear the knocking like it just goes away and as soon as you let off there it is again. I tried putting in better gas and slick 50 engine treatment. Im lost. with the timing i can get as far as hooking it up and seeing the white line but i dont know what im suppose to look for. When the engine is running and you see the light how are you suppose to line up the white line with the part of the tab. You can only move the distributor so much and it seems like you would have to be pretty lucky to stop the car right next to where you need it. any help would be great.

 

With the timing light hooked to the number 1 plug, it flashes every time it's fired. That's how you see the white line, point it at the balancer while the engine's running and the light flashes every time the white line is right at the tab. That will tell you your base timing, depending on its location in reference to the tab.