Can ne1 help me get my timing sorted out?

i know how to set the initial timing i got that at 12* at 800 rpm vaccum disconnected im trying to get 36* at 3200 rpm

i installed a crane cams adjustable vaccum canister and also put in blue springs.

car runs good but i wanna make sure about the total.

motor is a zz4 carbed 350

thanks

 

You have to disconnect the vacuum advance (temporarily) and rev the engine up while shooting the timing light. Somewhere around 3000 RPMs or so the timing should not advance any more. THAT'S where it should be 36* or whatever you're trying to set it at. Advance or retard as necessary to hit that mark. Having a degreed dampener or a dial-back timing light is necessary to do this.

Wherever that leaves your initial timing (base timing at idle) that's where you leave it. Plug you vacuum advance back in.

Many V8 HEI distributors have about 20* of centrifugal advance built into them (don't take my word for it- MEASURE yours, per the above procedure). That means that at 36* total timing your initial timing will drop back to about 16* at idle (36 - 20 = 16).

 

Thanks.

so what i need to do is rev the motor up to 3200 rpm then turn the distrib to get it to 36* then where ever it falls back to intial just leave it?

 

I have a quick super noob Q. How does the degree reading help? Aren't they spinning around when the motor is on? So how do you see them? I don't get it. Thanks.

Sorry if this is a hijack of the thread, I figured you guys can quickly answer it and get back on topic, thx.

 

Timing light

 

you will just see the mark a little ways away from the timing marks with a timing mark. Remember a circle is 360*. In other words 36* should be easy to hit and see from the top with a timing light.

 

I know you guys are trying to fill me in and I thank you for that, but I really need the "explaining it to a girl" kinda expenation. I have built 99% of my car, and I learn everything as I go, I am getting a new motor within a week and am gonna learn how to tune it and buy a timing light and stuff then, I was just posing the Q to get a head start.

I do not even understand how u use a timing light. I know what it does and how to adjust timing and syuff, but litterally how do u point it and what do you eyes see and that kinda thing.....

 

You hook up the timing gun, positive and negative battery terminals, then the lead on the respective spark plug wire (usually the #1). You aim at the timing tab and pull the trigger. The light flashes whenever the plug fires. When the light flashes, it will light up the timing tab (quite brightly) and you will see an etched line on the balancer. It's correlation to the timing tabs markings is used to determine the timing.

It works along the same lines as a stroboscope.

 

Very Nice!! thanks for the walk through. That is exactly how I thought it worked. Thanks again.