i currently have mine set at 10btdc, wondering if i should go to 12 or 13. i'm using plugs one heat range colder than stock, .045 gap, msd box. what's everyone else's at? should i just advance mine til it pings and then retard a couple degrees?

 

bingo, that is what I did. Advanced it by hand till it kind of dropped in idle then went back a little bit. Car runs great!

 

how do you advance your timing? Don't you just turn the distributor? If so which way,clockwise/counterclockwise.

 

counter clockwise to advance, clockwise to retard....if you have a computer controlled car make sure you disconnect the EST or you wont get a real reading. id say go buiy a 40$ timing light. before i got the light (just the drive down to get it after installing a new pickup) i thought i was alright when i got the light working found out i was at about 25 degrees of base. i tried 6 first but the car didnt run right. bumped it up to 12 and it purrrs

 

i ran 8 on my 350 10 i didnt feel good with and 12 it just started to knock like a jehoviahs withness handing out those pamphlets. sorry no harm involved in that. or meant for that matter.

 

Hey, nothing wrong with having a sense of humor.Everybody should have one.
As far as timing goes, it depends on your combination.Like TBI305camaro said, go and buy a timing light, preferably one with a dial-back, so you can see how much timing the computer's adding, and experiment.My 305 liked it's base timing set at about 5 degrees BTDC, but my 350 seems to like 12 degrees, or a little more with some octane booster, but there are a lot of variables,gas quality,altitude, etc, so you're gonna have to try a few different settings before it's perfect.
-Rich-

 

How do you advance the timing or retard? Do you have to take off the cap off? What is it that I would need to turn? Would i need a screwdriver or something?
Thanks all !!!!!!
:hail:

As you can tell, i haven't done this before and i am asking because my car is idling at 1300-1500 when warmed up. At cold, it is around 1000-1200 rpm. I would like for it to idle at around 800-1000 when warmed up. Again, thank you!!!!!!
:hail:

 

They dont have computers anyways.......

Loosen the bracket at the base of the distributor...one bolt ,kinda looks like a Y thing with a bolt through it.....you may need a distibutor wrench to get at it....just loosen it up enough that you can turn the cap..

 

you could also go by the veci label under the hood if its still there that is , it tells ya how many degress btdc for your particular engine

 

Hey. I was wondering what the consequences of running really advanced timing are in the long run. Are there any at all? right now i'm prob running 8-10* advanced.. don't like how the car runs at all @ TDC (on the LG4, the recommended setting is 0*).

Sooo are there any consequences of running advanced??

 

Lucky me I can change my base timing by turning a little **** on my dash. I went out and bought one of those MSD adjustable timing controls. At least for me it was a definately the best $100 i've spent on this car. It lets you retard base timing up to 15 degrees so i set the distributor to 15 degrees base and work from there. If i'm on the highway, i might have up to full advance and then knock it down to 8 or so when i'm driving around town or when i'm driving it hard.

 

I just bought one of those as well.Will probably install it this weekend.Nice to be able to tweek the timing without opening the hood!Certainly worth the $100, like you said.
-Rich-

 

A better method is to find the total timing the motor wants
(creates the most power) at high rpm. (full centrifical advance)
You need an advance timing light to do this. Most every small block chev wants 32 to 36 deg total timing at high rpm.
Be sure to check this with the vacuum advance temperarly
disconnected. Generally if you just advance the timing till it
just pings and then back it off a few degrees, you will still be too
far advanced for best power.

 

The best method, for those of you with an ECM, is to get into PROM tuning and do it the right way. When you change the base timing and don't tell the ECM that you did (change the base timing parameter), it globally adds timing and you don't necessarily want - or are able to run - more timing in all conditions.

 

matt's right, The eproms is the best way. My cars running 8* right now, but i get major knock in the midrange unless i use 94 octane. If i was able to edit the prom i could pull some timing from the mid range and add more to the top end.

But my cars running a little lean, if I raised the fuel pressure i could probably run 8* without the 94.

 

What compression ratio are you Running?

 

9.5 iron heads

 

Sure dont know why you would have to Run 94 octane at all.

 

Well according to winaldl i get major knock with 87,89 moderate with 91, none whatsoever with 94. Its also audible as when i use winaldl there is no retarding by the ecm.

Im also not running an egr. Possibly i have some carbon buildup in the heads. I'll know for sure when i pull the heads for porting at the end of the month.

But it all seems fine to me, my 91 vette ran 10:1 6* timing and would audibly knock on less than 91, and had improved performance on 94, it did have an ads chip though, and needed 94 to make use of the changes in the chip.

*** i miss that car..mint black on black 6 spd. Why did i sell!

 

Iron heads can't run a whole lot of timing(or compression) because they are more prone to detonation than other(aluminum) heads since they retain a lot of heat. Add in some carbon buildup that stays hot enough to ignite the fuel/air mixture too early and you've got problems. Running an egr helps to cool the combustion chambers by sucking in exhaust gasses that are cooler(even though they are really hot) than the inside chamber temps, sometimes reducing pre-detonation. An egr could help out, as cool a good cleaning of the engine. Maybe that water thing would be worth while.

 

Thanks rezinn, Can someone tell me how an Adjustable timing light works?