ok i have a brand new engine, never started new everything this is what i need to do

1. start it
2. get the timing down
3. break it in


now i have a break in procedure i just need instructions on how to time a car, i have a timing light, but i never used one before, any help is appreciated.

 

Ok, I see you have an 89 T/A. What kind of engine did you put in though?? Something totally different than what is stock in your car, or one close to it? I'm gonna go off what I know from a 350. This is what I do. First check on your harmonic balancer for the timing mark. Make sure you can see it. Since you have a new engine, i'm sure you could. Next, You will want to bypass the ECM. If you don't do this and try to adjust the timing, that timing mark will be fluttering all over the place. Now, in my 91 GTA there is a plug on the left side (passenger side) of the engine compartment with a brown and white wire. If I recall, it is near the the A/C condenser. This has to be disconnected. Now your engine may not have this plug but have a vacuum hose bypass at the distributor that you have to disconnect and plug. If so, using a golf tee or something like it will help in plugging it. Next after the bypass is dissconnected, hopefully you have a distributor wrench with a 9/16 head. The distrubutor hold down nut is hard to get to without one. If you look below your distributor cap, you will see the nut. You will have to loosen it just a little bit, not much. Next, hook up the clamps on your timing light to the battery and then hook up to the #1 plug wire with the wire clamp. (wire closest to front of car on drivers side) After the timing light is hooked up, start the engine. With your left hand, shine the light on the timing mark on the harmonic balancer, and with your right easily rotate the distribtor. You will see the timing mark flashing rapidly and moving as you move the distributor. For this car stock timing is 6* by the way. When your set, turn off the car, tighten your distributor hold down bolt, reconnect the bypass, and also it is recommended to disconnect the battery for a few minutes to erase any trouble codes from the ECM when you unplugged the bypass. Once everything is hooked back up and tightened down, your good to go. Hope this helps! Let me know if I helped you out enough!

 

From his cardomain site: "I replaced the LO3 with a GMPP 330HO 350."

Therefore, flat tappet cam. "Close" is close enough for the timing until the cam has been run in.

 

Also one easy thing to do is to pull all of the spark plugs out and then have an accomplice turn the engine over with the starter while you stand there with a timing light. It will give you a better idea of where the timing lies before ever starting it up.

 

couldnt i just disconnect the coil wire? instead of all that, it would do the same thing.