8BA Flathead timing & cooling question?

8BA Flathead timing & cooling question?

stock fresh rebuild 80 over
running a Bubba's dizzy
single 94 carb
Timing set on mark (not sure if it's 2 degrees or 4 degrees)
Idle 550 rpm at timing mark and 14.5 at 2500 rpm's

Temp gets up to 190 degrees when idling for about 20 minutes

What should the timing be set at 4, 5, 6, degrees?

And cooling- running a Spal electric fan with 100 amp alternator (not charging at idle only when over 1000 rpm's

Do I have the idle and timing to low and need to go higher?

Thanks, Todd

 

Check your alternator exicter circuit, sounds like it's not working. I would give it a few more degrees of initial timing for performance's sake. A timing tape on the crank is very helpful, but not entirely necessary. I often pull the engine up to 2500 or so and the turn the dizzy to the "sweet spot" and lock it down. 190* is not too hot at all.

 

The alternator is a chevy- one wire- Ez wire kit The white exciter wire was not connected as it was not needed for the Ford solenoid. I may need to hook up the exciter wire not sure what place to put it? What is the normal place to set the timing at? I've seen it all over the place on web sites from 4 degreed -12 degrees

 

I just did mine with a timing light stock dist,I measured 1 1/2 "didn,t have tape.Rpms up about 2500 and goes to 1 1/2" runs good.I run 190 degs ,but idles temp goes up, elecrtric fan should cool it at idle.One wire goes from alt to pos terminal on battery.
Elect fan draw heavy.when off .If you have 13 volts at battery thats ok.

 

I have the wire that way too from the alt. to batt..

Fan off- 550 rpm 12.7 volts at 1000 rpm 14.2 volts
Fan on- 550 rpm 12.3 volts at 1000 rpm 13.8 volts

 

You need 20 * of timing all in at 2,000 RPM. Make sure you are not running lean also. Flatheads don't like a lot of advance.
Butch

 

What degrees does yours read at idle?

 

Bump

 

With the stock dist idles at O degs and full advance is about 1-1/2 inches .think thats about 28 degs full.
now with other dist say total is 36 degs at zero you would be 8 degs to far.So retard 8 degs at idle.Flatheads have run good with 28 degs.For street driving i don,t see more then 28 dges.

 

Simple call Bubba and get his recomendation for timing,he can tell you what he puts into his dist.for advance. Get your alt. checked out sounds like it may have a issue with low output.

 

All 49-53 8BA's called for 2° of initial timing at 475 RPM, and that is the mark. BUT there were different timing covers, pulleys, and distributors. If they aren't matched the marks will be wrong. The stock dist were vacuum only and depending on which dist you had they would advance anywhere from 7 1/2° to 11 1/4° at 2000 RPM with 3.7" if vacuum. so you would have a total advance of 9 1/2° to 13 1/4°. That is the most the stock distributors had to offer.
With a performance set up and a mechanical advance distributor, flatheads like to see a bit more advance - somewhere around 24-28° total is what seems to work best, all in by about 2500 RPM.
You would never want to run 8° retarded (ATDC) as suggested above - this will make your flatty definitely run hot at idle.

You say you have one of Bubba's distributors - which? a reworked stocker or his Delco conversion? Would make a big difference in what is recommended and I would start with his advice.
As for your alternator, it is not uncommon for many one wires to not charge until they hit 1000 RPM or more, it is one of a few problems with them.

 

Chevy to flathead dizzy
I did call bubba's and was told to run it up to 3000 rpm's and set the dizzy at 22 degrees. What I'm looking for is idle rpm's to get more of an idea what the degree would be at idle.

 

Gotcha - Stock idle RPM called for 475 RPM as I listed above. many people run them higher. I would verify your timing marks and then put timing tape on it. Run it up to 3000, set it at 22° as suggested by Jim, then see where that is at idle and make a note for future reference.

 

As long as it's not firing ATDC, the timing at idle is not super critical, although mine seemed to like about 8-10* BTDC at idle, and I curved the dist to advance to 28* total @2500 rpm. As suggested above, setting it for 8* ATDC is a recipe for heat and likely poor performance, don't do that.