I've been told that advancing my timing would give me a slight increase in power output. How can I do this, and will I experience any negative effects? I hear it can compromise the way the engine idles or runs at very low RPMs. Is this true?

 

First of all you need to get a timing light.There fairly cheap.And are really helpful.


All you do is hook it to the battery terminals and then on your #1 plug wire.Now your balancer should be marked for tdc.I used a yellow marker to highlight that area.Did the same to the timing mark on the timing cover.

Now make sure the non of the wires of the timing gun are getting in the way of anything and start it up.It should look the marks on the balancer and the mark on the timing tab are lined up and not moving.And they are exactly in line.


Also I have to mention if you car has a computer controlled distrubitor you need to unplug the 4 wires going from the distrubitor.That way it isn't advanced.Now loosen your hold down clamp on the distrubitor and turn it slightly counter clockwise.Doing this will advance your timing.


Don't go to far.This causes detonation.And can put holes in the top of your pistons and as well as other bad things.Advancing it a small amount can improve throttle response.Maybe a little more low end.




Don't take me word for word on this.But I think you can get the general idea.

 

Just a theoretical question, but if you advance your timing until you hear the pinking, and then back it off a little until the pinking goes away....when you plug the 4 wire connector back into the distributor, will this not advance your timing in certain conditions and therefore bring back the pinking? Or do I have that all wrong?

 

That is what the computer does... it will try to bring the engine to the "limit" of as far as it can without knocking. It does the same with the carb.

 

So if you already have your timing set to the advance limit, the computer won't adjust your timing at all?