I just had my motor rebuilt and since I have been driving it around it feels sluggish compared to what it was before the rebuild. It's fast, but not off the line fast. Also I have headers now, I didn't before so even with the headers added it should feel faster. I know it's summer with 110*+ days, and with summer blend fuel. But it won't spin the tires very much at all from a stop. Whereas before it would spin for 50 yards or so.

Anyway, it sounds kind of choppy like a misfire but runs smooth as silk. So I went out and checked the timing. Lo and behold, it was at 4*. Stock is 6*. It is too dark to change the timing tonight and probably not even this weekend. But how much of a power difference is there between 4* and 6*. Because it just feels slow all over the powerband, especially from a take off and right before shifting. Before it felt awesome!!!

Sorry, but I love my 305. I am one of the few i guess.

 

I would imagine that timing has a lot to do with it, especially if it is retarded rather than advanced......you can gain or lose a lot of power based on setting the timing. Set it to where it's supposed to be and it should feel like new. By the way, those are some nice stock dyno numbers! My 305 TPI that used to be in my car put down 159 to the wheels with edelbrock headers and an air intake........leads me to believe there was something wrong with it! I put a mild cam and roller rockers in and it jumped to 220 rwhp, and 285 torque....not too shabby for a non roller 305.

 

Thanks!!! I was pleased as punch when it was dynoed and the guy said, 'you sure that's a 5.0. These pulls look like close to what a 350tpi pulls.' So ever since then I knew I had a good motor. Plus beating and hanging with cars that it shouldn't is even better. I'm talking 350Z's, G35's, GTP's, and even a stock SRT4 couldn't catch me. I know my car isn't making as much HP as those cars, but my torque curve and 3.42's make up so much of the difference and then some.

What year was your 305? Maybe it was a peanut cammed motor year?

As for timing, I have about 400 miles before I can change the oil, 500 mile break in period. I plan on going back to Mobil 1 synthetic and then I will turn the timing up to the stock 6*. I don't forsee going all out on this thing, as pretty much everything else is expensive and not fun to install, but a nice torque converter ( 2200-2500 ) an Adj. FPR, hi-flo cat & catback, and then boost the timing to 8* and 10* at the max. I also have a SD L98 chip wanting to go in as well. That, by the feel of the car, should put me in the mid-high 13's. Which is fast enough for a street car.

 

from 4 degrees advanced to 6 degrees advanced you wont notice much....but if its at 4 degrees retarted you might notice a difference... my car seems to like 10-12 degrees advance for base timing... with the rebuild did they happen to throw a different cam in by chance?


and speaking of 305 TPI dyno numbers... with a TB bypass and a Custom CAI my 305 put down 206 RWHP and 291 RWTQ (190,000 KM ) with those numbers my friend was convinced i acctually had a 350 until i showed him the casting numbers

 

It sounds off. That is the thing along with not spinning the wheels like it used to and the topend feels off as well. The way I see it, 4* is 33% off of where it should be. It seriously feels off.

As for the cam, I specifically instructed them that I wanted the stock cam put back in as well as the same heads. It's in the paperwork. I didn't want to risk them putting in a factory spec "peanut cam" and have them say we put in a factory spec cam. They originally put in 187 heads but I raised hell and they put the 081's back on. F'in Idiots!!!

As soon as I get the ***** to change the timing in the heat of the AZ desert, I will post my findings of how much the power difference between 4* and 6* is. Whether it be nothing, or just what I hoped, or it gives me 30hp

 

did u ever get this done. i'm curious.. i would say set the base timing to 10 degrees. my l98 is there now and it feels pretty strong

 

From 4* advance to 6* advance, maybe 5hp, so basically nothing. Bump it to 8-10* and see how it does. Sounds like you were at odds with the engine builder. To get even, could he possibly have installed the cam retarded or something. Then again, you might need some miles on it to break it in. You always gain some after a few thousand miles.

 

I did it, but I also adjusted the throttle cable some. It has more ***** now. It just needs to break in more I suppose.

I thought about that, retarding the cam, but I really had a problem with the owner, not the mechanic. I talked to the mechanic and he seemed cool. He just kept telling me I wouldn't see more than 5-10hp from headers. I thought that was kind of stupid sounding.

 

My base timing is 15 degrees.
I think your motor would like more timing.

 

So go up from 6 degrees to 15 degrees? I don't know. All we have here is 91 octane.

Besides I have to race my brother for bragging rights in the family. He demodded his GTP (intake, headers, and catback only now, stock pulley) and I have 3.42's and headers. I 'should' take him. I used to take him to 55mph with his 3.0 pulley. That was fun, but ever since getting the T/A back, the motor feels a bit sluggish down low. Although, I never did check to see what timing was before the motor blew. Maybe the owner jacked advanced it some. Dunno.

 

Set the timing to what the ECM is program for, or program the ECM for the timing you want. Well, that's if it's computer controlled.

 

once my car was set at 4* advanced and i noticed a big difference. it didnt pull low end and broke up high end. we bumped it up to 6* and she came right back. I wantr to switch to premium fuel and i plan to advance my timing to about 10* base.