Hey guys I've got a question for the masses so maybe someone can help me.
I wanted to bump up the timing on my car to see if I could get alittle more response out of it.I found that the general consensus around here is 4* degrees base advance.I searched on how to do this and I set the base timing as such.when I plugged up the ESC back up my timing seemed to be WAY to far advanced,like almost 14* degrees just alittle past the timing tab on the advanced side.I always run 91 octane and it seems to be driving around just fine and I'm not getting any kind of pinging what so ever.Is this normal?I just don't want it set so high that it might hurt something.can anybody help me?

 

I run around 25 degrees at idle....

Nope nothing to worry about. What you are seing is the computer taking back over control of your timing after you set the base timing.

 

i'm now running 10 deg base EST/ESC unplugged and around 23 on idle with it connected.

 

With non-swirl port heads though right?

 

yep, non swirl port

 

I didn't want to start a new thread since this is fairly relavant. On my car with the EST disconnected my timing mark is past the tab by just a tad (when its connected its a lot farther, like it should be). And by past the tab I mean as in around 14-16* advanced. I have datalogged before and its only shown the normal 2 knock counts on start up, and I never hear any pinging. Yes I'm positive that its connected to the #1 spark plug. Or where the #1 should be at least (Front, drivers side corner) I was wondering if I should set this back a little bit since I do have some problems with Idle sometimes, but I don't want to loose too much power.

Edit: I just realised this was in the TBI section. Just as a refrence the car I'm talking about above is a TPI.

 

I had to just pull back the timing to dead 0 btdc because it started to ping pretty badly.It didn't ping at first but the more I drove it the worse it got.I pulled it back first to 2 degrees advance and it still pinged pretty bad so now it's at 0 again.I guess the vacuum leak from the throttle shaft is causing me to go to lean.

 

With a SD based FI system you can't go lean with a vacuum leak, the map sensor "see's" this air just like it was coming through the throttle bores and compensates, all you'll get is a high idle.

Unless you knock sensor is fubar'ed you won't ever hear pinging. The knock sensor hears ping way before you'll ever hear it and retards the timing as much as 10-20 degrees to compensate. It's common practice with some mail orde chip tuners to just advance the crap out of the timing at wot and let the knock sensor trim the total advance. If you knock sensor is fubar'd then you should get a CEL.

 

CEL?

 

Check Engine Light

 

well I heard major pinging when i drove around with my timing advanced,like a marbles in a glass jar kind of sound,mostly heard it at part throttle or when the engine was under load.the one thing that bugs me though is when i reset my timing back to 0 Btdc was that when I checked my timing with the wire plugged back in i noticed that my timing was a little eratic,still alittle past the timing mark advanced,it kind of bounced around slightly.I've had an Egr problem/eratic/whistling idle since i've owned the car.it's really starting to drive me crazy.

 

Actually my check engine light does come on every once in a while. Right in the middle driving it'll turn on. I should probably check what codes are stored in the ECM to see if it says anything relating to this.

 

Well I've got the normal 12, and then a 32 and a 42 so I've got something wrong with my EGR system, and something wrong with my Electronic Spark Timing. Now remember, the CEL isn't always on, it only pops on once in a while.

 

42 thats the kicker, it can be set for a number of reasons but most likely because your failing the forced knock check. This is when your ecm will advance your timing untill it hears knock via the knock sensor to make sure it's working, if it doesn't hear the knock it throws the code and retards the timing way back. You should feel a loss of performance after the light comes on. Your probably going to need a knock sensor.

 

Yes but when I datalogged it always showed a couple knock counts from startup (never more than 4 total)

 

Does the knock show up in your logs when you hear it? It might just be your knock sensor is going def and only hears the loud knock of the starter engaging the flywheel.

 

My TBI runs like a dog when it's set at the specified 0 degrees. It has lousy get up and go timed there. I usually set mine at about the last mark on the timing tab with the computer disconnected, which I figure is probably around 12 degrees advance. It runs tons better at that setting with regular 85 octane fuel, and I've never heard any pinging. It does sound like something is up with either your knock sensor or your esc possibly.

 

Having a similar issue but i get code 43 after about 20 seconds of start up and stays on after that til i shut it off.
supposedly according to the guys at howell's that the knock sensor is bad. And if replacement of that doesnt fix it..then pcm
according to the scanner i am borrowing the computer is taking 6 degrees of timing out
i think i am running 30 total

 

well I've found the source of my pinging problem.when I bought my delco plugs there was something I did'nt see until last night.I took my plugs out to check them to see if there was any indication of running lean.well I'm not running lean but 3 of my 8 plugs were hotter plugs than the other 5!!! I mean as in bigger plugs.same part numbers different plugs!!!!Next time I buy spark plugs I'll be sure to make sure they are all colder plugs.