I did my timing chain a few months ago and today i finaly got around to checking the timing. Before i changed it it was at 10degrees on the dot. but after i changed it i guess it mumped it up to 14 degrees. Is it advanced too much? or should i back it down to 10 degrees again. I can hear my valves makeing noise could that be part of my problem that the timing is advanced too much?? I have herd that advancing the timing is good for cars yet i have also herd that retarding timing is good for cars how do i know when my car is at its optimal timing? Right now the car feels like a 4 banger. A fully loaded older saturn was hard for my car to pull away from tonight there were 6 people in that car. and just me in mine.

 

get a vacuum gauge and listen for pinging

 

What do i hook my vac guage up to? what should the psi on it read?

 

i have my timing at 12, but i used to have it all the way up to 14 before smog time. I didn't have any problems at all with it. Do a major tune up and you'll see a difference in your car.

 

I just did a major tuneup about a month ago. Brass dist cap new holley ignition module. New msd wires ac rapid fire plugs cleaned my intake out cleaned out my K&N Replaced my MSD coil with a new msd coil the old one melted. Replaced vac lines oil change i did the works on it.

 

advance the timing until it pings, then back off a little

that would be for performance not emissions

 

LOL As soon as you plug the computer back in you will be pinging because of the computer advance, then the knock sensor will bring it back retarding putting out your pipe dream of "performance".

First off do you have the 2.8 or the 3.1, 3.1 came with a knock sensor, which will pick up anything way before you hear anything.

When you put your timing chain on did you make sure the gear marks where on the money? Sorry just checking.

Be sure to disconnect the brown wire with the black strip (over by right side shock tower) this takes the computer advance off so that you can set the idle timing manually.

With an automatic it's 10* in drive. There isn't really a reason to run any more then 12, The computer advances the timing FOR you based on throttle, air temp, load, knock sensor. If you think that you are smarter then the computer and GM programers again another pipe dream when dealing with fuel injection.

Carb is a science in itself for spark advance.

 

Oh, is that why people get custom chips, or even of the shelf chips that do help a little, because the GM programmers were on the money for both performance AND emissions. Just pointing something out. I know the custom PROM thing is for people with moderatly modded motors, but from what I hear(not tried I'll admit), the off the shelf chips made by JET and others do help(but just aren't worth the money). The whole reason they work is beacuse they modify the stock timing tables.

Some timing helps, but not a lot, i'll give you that. I do feel a little difference between 10* and the 14* that i like to run. The stock tables were designed for emissions, not for performance, so if you don't mind kissing a little of that emission friendliness goodbye, go ahead and give yourself a little timing, but remember not to go too crazy with it. A little at a time.

 

What happens to aged engines is that they loose power.
IF ya checked compression your MAY find a low cylinder pressure number.
I discovered that if the timing chain isn't at dot to dot engine will not start.
I hooked my vacuum gauge to a feed by the black cylinder on the firewall by brake booster & windshield wiper motor.

In your case, advancing the timing will not change performance to make up for the engine age.
The fact it still moves & goes after all those 200,000 plus miles is a great thing.

Let me know when ya ready for the 3.4 Swap Boogie!

When ya getting the Firebird on the road?

My Van Nuys house is almost ready for sale (final paint going on now!), I want to visit ya soon to grab the left overs! I have to rent a truck for this mission but would love to visit your Grams house to see all stuff first!

 

Running 12º here.

You don't always want the most timing you can run, and you don't want it retarded, either. You have to find what your engine/setup wants, and what works best.

 

Yes, but remember a chip won't do anything for you without a performance cam. Buying a chip with out doing anything to your valve train (like rolls or different cam) you are wasting your money BIG time because the STOCK chip is optimal for the STOCK cam.

In this case he doesn't have a performace cam. It's an electronic system, NOT vacum advance. You can check for leaks, that about it, the MAP sensor sees the vacum and isn't going to fudge the numbers.

 

I had my timing at 14 and the bird run bad, slow, high gas/milage.
I set it back to 10 in advance and it runs great now, don't forget to disconnect the wire to your ECM befor you set the timing.

Horst

 

Yep just like I said above, the knock sensor will detect the over adavance and retart it.

 

I run mine at 13* with a new motor. Most run 14* when the motor wears (timingchain slack). I also run a very hot ignition with the plugs gapped at .052 ( that includes Taylor 10.4mm wires- 53,000 volt coil doesn't break a sweat.)

 

I'd say if a person is that bad off, it's time for a chain.

 

Get the quote right partner- I run mine at 13*. Bad off? my new crate motor(not rebuilt) has only 28,000 on it- runs best at 13*

 

Weird, I don't see how that letter got in there. No I was not implying "you" directly just figuratively speaking.