Is there an advantage to running an L98 350 motor @8* BTDC timing?

Last year during my failing fuel pump diagnosis, one of the mechanics informed me that my timing was "seriously off" and he had to adjust it.

I know for a fact it was set to 6* perfectly.
I rechecked it a few weeks ago and its now currently set at 8* BTDC.

My car has been overheating (turns out my headers fried my fan switch and it was barely working, fans were turning on and off randomly) and almost started blowing my head gaskets. Among other crap...

Anyway, is it a smart idea to turn the distributor a little bit and set it back to 6*? or should I leave it?

Steve0

 

Running too lean could definitely cause overheating.

 

https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tpi/...al-timing.html
https://www.thirdgen.org/forums/tpi/...ggestions.html


Won't be running lean at 8 BTDC

 

Try it.

Like it? Must be an advantage.

Don't? Maybe not.

It's called TUNING. Give the engine what it wants. That's not the same thing as "look itup in a book".

 

Ill probably get some crap for asking this but im going to anyways lol

Did you notice any difference? I know its a matter of tuning it, but does 10* seem the best to set it to or 8? I have an otherwise stock l98 for now but i like to squeeze everything I can out of it so if it helps I will do it.

a little side note/question... I heard it takes a special distributor wrench to get the hold-down bolt loose to be able to turn the dist., is this right? I tried getting to it with a ratchet, extension and swivel joint but didnt work so well.

 

My car has run so iradically over the last few years I couldn't give you an answer if it runs better or worse with this timing. I was only asking if it could contribute to overheating. People can post THIS IS STOCK TIMING threads but really? I'm asking a question about modified timing, not HEY GUYS WHAT THE STOCK TIMING? It gets old, stop directing me towards stickies which have no relevance.

You can adjust the distributor with whatever wrench you can get to fit in there. I use a standard socket wrench setup.

 

I already said above that 8 degrees BTDC is not going to make it overheat

The LINKS show that others are running more advance than you have at present (> 10 degrees ) without ANY problems so look elsewhere for your overheating problem

 

Try it.

Like it? Must be better... doesn't prove it's "the best", but "better" is a step on the way to "the best".

Don't? Must not be better... certainly can't be "the best".

Bottom line: TRY IT.

 

If you are running the HSR, Leave it at 8 degrees imo. Your probably overheating because the HSR doesnt have rear cooling passages like the stock manifold

 

OP has other problems
Plenty of us running a HSR without heating problems ( on engines way more radical than the OP's 350 )
Also plenty of popular aftermarket SBC intakes that don't have the rear coolant passage that don't have cooling problems ; think Vic Jnr et al

 

The overheating may have been due to a couple different things. My fan witch melted on my header and started to malfunction, I had to smack it with a screwdriver before it would kick my fans on. I bought a new 90* fitting to run the new fan switch downwards vs outwards towards the exhaust. I also got a similar setup on the driver side for my aftermarket gauge...so untill that is wired in I will not get a proper temp reading.

 

Retarded timing is more often associated with running hot than advanced.

 

Why don't you put your fan switch in one of the spare intake coolant ports ( @ front of intake ) well away from any problems?

 

X2.

 

I read coolant temperature readings are much more accurate when read directly from the head vs the intake.

If this is not the case I need to know ASAP because I will gladly wire my fan switch into the 1 of 2 plugged 3/8 fittings on my HSR. I wont have to deal with all the extra fittings on the elbow thing I created to mount it out of the head and downwards away from my header.

And then the only issue with that is if the stock wiring will reach the intake....



Here is what I created so far...one for my fan switch on the driver side head, one for the autometer digital temperature gauge on the passenger side head.
Any advice is GREATLY appreciated and I have not even been able to drive the car at all this year for more than 10 minutes.

 

The difference in temp you will see is irrelevant for fan operation
In your case the argument goes out the window, because the adapters you are using put the temp probe
away from the coolant flow anyway so I bet they are reading low vs actual temp

No reason you can't have all 3 sensors ( CTS for the ECM, fan switch , temp gauge sender )
in that position if you don't have the heater line connected
At least all will be reading the same temp

Heard of a soldering iron or wire crimps to extend the stock wiring.......

 

Yes I have a soldering Iron I was just saying...
I have the CTS in the manifold to the right of the thermostat. I have two extra plugged 3/8 fittings that I can run the sending units into. I wish there was a little 1/8"er for the autometer gauge.

My heads get hotter than my intake (or at least they heat up quicker) which is why I thought the sensors needed to go into the heads.

 

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/EAR-991203ERL/
http://www.summitracing.com/parts/RUS-661571/

 

Yes I know reducers exist, at the moment I am going to use the provided autometer 3/8 to 1/8 brass reducer because....



My earls reducer snapped my sending unit when it was tightened in my vise.


I might be coming off as un-informed but I've been working on this car since 2001..

 

Decided to take vetteoz and maddens advice.







I wired the coolant gauge into my manifold. Unfortunately the manifold is tapped for 1/2" and my sending unit is 1/8" so I had to use a reducer. Thats the only way to get it to mount in that position. The reducer pretty much covers the entire prong of the sending unit, so some coolant is touching but not a direct flow. Does that matter at all? Questionable.

For the time being I left my fan switch in the stock head position just to see how the gauge would read. 176* on I believe is the setting on it.

After idling for 5 minutes, one of the fans kicked on. According to my gauge this was around 140* which would mean premature, but if the coolant in the head was hotter than the manifold (or the probe is not getting a correct reading), then this is why its happening.

After 15 minutes of idling the gauge slowly creeped to 180-185ish and hung around there with only the one fan spinning. I could put my new fan switch into the manifold with a 1/2 to 3/8 reducer as well, but that just means it would take even longer for the fans to come on...

Now is it really at 180? that is the question.
IDK, anyone have any advice? 30* is a lot to be off by..

 

Bahahaha love it!

Advance timing probably has nothing to to with overheating.

Before I learned how to tune the "tune" I ran 12' timing, headers, AFPR with a stock TPI and made ~235 WHP. Going with an "aftermarket" chip only gained me 2HP over my 12' timing setting. Never ran hot.

But then again my motor may have had a super gizmo or something so it may or may not work for you. Hey Mikey! He likes it! Your mileage may vary- use with adult supervision only.

 

This post helps me out how?

 

Seriously? If my light hearted-ness came across as smart, I apologize. I meant no malice...

I am agreeing with a previous poster who was saying (in regard to non-stock timing) that you just have to try different amounts. There are few absolutes and what works in one situation may not work in the next.

I was also sharing my experience with 12' of timing being the just about as good as buying a $200 aftermarket chip and it didn't affect cooling. Could save you a few bucks there. But again it may not work for you so try different things.

Lastly, I was paying my respects to a long standing and revered 3rd genner who passed away. R.I.P. Grumpy

I was just in a good mood~ lighten up