OK..my initial timing is set at 10 degrees...is that it!! I here total timing..did I miss a step.. If so How do I set my total timing sbc 350..I did a search and found nothing...I feel real f-n stupid right about now. thanks Hambers
unplug the vacuum hose if there is one, get a timing light with a dial or digital readout, and the see what the timing is when you rev the engine up enough that the timing won't advance any more (probably around 2000- 3000 rpm or so). Should be set to somewhere around 34 degrees on a 350 with older design heads, maybe a bit less for the modern heads.
you can set total timing with a vacuum pump, http://www.chevelles.com/archive/files/tottime.html depending on cam, you are probably fine
Yep. If your advance isn't "all in" by 2800-3000 RPM, I'd try different springs on the advance mechanism. Josh
How can total timing be set with a vaccum pump....hook the pump up to the dist and put a vaccum load on and then what!! what would I be looking for..
That's for figuring out how much vacuum advance you get, which isn't really too important, as long as it still runs smooth when cruising. The info I gave is for how to figure out how much mechanical advance you're getting.
Yep,,thats the way ya do it.As far as dial-back lights go,MSD actually recommends a Sears Craftsman timing light(at least they did a few years ago). I use a zip tie on mine to permanantley hold the button down. Then you can hold the light with one hand at the back,& rotate the dial with your thumb while your other hand brings the RPM up.....make sense?
SBC's normally run 32-34 degrees total Mechanical advance. Should be "all-in" by about 2,500-3,000 RPM's. Disconnect and plug the vac. advance line, hook up a timing light and read the timing while you or a friend opens the throttle a little. Check to see what your total timing is when it's fully advanced. Adjust to the aforementioned 32-34 degrees. Also record the RPM's at which it stopped advancing. If it's way higher than the 2,500-3,000 start trying lighter advance springs to get it down in that range. You will probably end up with 8-10 degrees at idle, but the important is not the idle timing...it's the fully advanced total as well as the "advance curve"...ie: the rate that it will advance as RPM's increase. -Scott
ok...just so I'm getting it!! -inital setting is at 10 BTDC -unhook and plug vac advance line at the source of vaccum which is at the carb. -start it up and get the RPMs (between 2500-3000)up to where there is no more advancing. let say it's at 34 BTDC. - so I replace and/or adjust the springs and weights in the distributor to equate out to 24 degrees. I know theres a X2 factor for the vaccume advance.
Not quite: 1.) Plug vac. adv. line. 2.) Hook up timing light 3.) Read the timing while you increase RPM's until it stops advancing...record that RPM. 4.) Observe the total advance and adjust to 32-34 degrees (keep the RPM's up while doing this). 5.) Only mess with the advance springs if it took more than about 2,500-3,000 RPM to come in totally. 6.) Don't worry about your timing at idle. Just hook up the vac. advance when you're finished and that's it.
Most aftermarket vac advance units have the number of degrees they pull stamped on them.Usually on the flat plate part of the can. This can be verified with the vacuum pump method with the engine running,& simply checking the timing marks movement at the dampener. Adjustable units are cool,but you can modify the stock units by making 'stops' or by giving it more travel inside the distributor.
The weights and springs dictate how fast the timing comes in, not how much you have. (This is called the curve) Your total timing is initial + mechanical + vacuum. Like the others have said here, you want it all in by 3,000 rpm.
Some lights don't have the button (FERRET) I use my teeth to turn the dial too! Never have anyone around to help. Josh
Man I sure do Love the HAMB.......I was messing around with the timing and added timing tape and tab and wanted to set it for performance.
Ok so I am curious here. I did as above. I didn't worry about my idle timing persay. I revved the engine up till timing did not change anymore which gave me 32* and it all came in about 2200 rpms. I had my son helping with this, he was my eyes on the tach..LOL. anyway that was with vac advance unhooked and vac port plugged. after locking down Dizzy I rechecked it to make sure it didn't move and it was still set at 32* at 2200 rpms. My idle rpms are 750 rpm. When I hooked up vac advance to full vacuum port of carb i had to bring the idle back down to 750 rpm. I then revved the engine with advance hooked up and got a reading of 52* at 2200 rpm. Is this good or bad. I haven't test drove it yet but will shortly. sounds good and starts good and has that nice cam hit to it too.
Sounds about right. The vacuum advance will pull timing out under load as you lose vacuum and bring it back in as you return to a light load situation like cruising down the freeway. As long as you're not pinging, all is good.
about 16* or so. Maybe a little more towards 17*. I drove to town and back and it runs like a scalded dog. No pinging at all either.
[/URL][/IMG] and I even added something else....... I started doing just The POW Bucket and went all the way around with WWI - WWII - Korea - Vietnam - Desert Storm - OIF - OEF [/URL][/IMG]
I then masked off the timing tape, painted it all black, took the engraver and went over the engravings so it'll stand out and then clear coated it all. I did the engraving because if the tape comes off I have the markings still. [/URL][/IMG][/IMG]
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