Yes; I ran the engine up high in the RPM's as these trucks seem to bring all the timing in anywhere from 3000-3500rpm's. There was no rubber sleeve but I had thought about adding one. Timing was done with a newer Snap-On dial in gun. The distributor is old and has a "Hecho In Mexico" sticker on the bottom of breaker plate. I may have play but haven't checked yet. The harmonic balancer is dead on when checking TDC.
Thanks!

 

Here's the real puzzling part....

After we broke the engine in and I put 100 miles on it; I complained about hard starting. Took it to my buddies garage and found that we mistakingly set the timing at 20* initial!!! Don't know how the heck we did that but we did. Truck ran strong and never heard any pinging. We had 41* total mechanical advance!!! Is it possible that I'm not hearing the pinging with headers and duals? I drove with windows open and these trucks are noisey. Something isn't adding up.
Thanks!

 

For some reason that I cannot explain, ( I would assume it is the engine breathing much easier aka more efficient) if you have headers, and a free flowing intake, you can run more advance, without pinging.... which is part of the advantage of headers. My race boat we would advance it as far as we could without a ping, sometimes having 20 plus degrees initial, and at very High RPM it was almost mandatory to attain the higher RPM's....

 

Do you have the original Balancer still on the engine or a new one? I have found that over the years many ford balancers slip. Time it to top dead center number one cyl as a base line and see just where the balancer is.

Garbz

 

I've been told the same by knowledgeable FE guys. They like to run 16*-22* initial on pump gas. I'm going to do some more investigation and I'll post back.
Thanks!

 

Dave;
It's a new one. I'm going to check it at TDC again today to verify as anything is possible.
Thanks!

 

The balancer is composed of an outer pulley, rubber gasket, inner damper. At the factory the gasket is placed between the pulley and damper, then these three parts are pressed together forming a one piece assembly.

Over time, the gasket age cracks, disintegrates, this causes the outer pulley to "walk away" from the inner damper.

If not noticed in time, the pulley can separate from the damper taking along assorted other parts with it, may end up in the radiator core. Not pleasant!

 

Who would those guys be??? You should use this as a baseline for today's gas. Compression of 9.5:1 and higher you can safely run 32-36* total. Around 9.0:1 you could maybe go to 40* and in a 8.5:1 maybe to 42* total. My 10.5:1 302 is at 35* and my 8.4:1 360 is at 38*. What is your 352 compression at?

The above 16-22* is crazy unless there is only 20* mechanical at most. I would forget that stuff and stick with the basics. Make sure the damper is correct and if so then adjust the tab in the distributor by putting a piece of thin cut washer hose around it and then run the rpm's up to see where you are.

 

I tune by ear. Set it to initial with the lamp and give it all it will take untill she pings under load. Back of till it does not ping. Works every time.

Each engine is different in time as it is the sum of the various parts.

Use advice as a base line only. I have found that even new parts can be bad.

Garbz

 

Thanks Dave and your hired!!! I'm only 2 miles away! lol
What about vacuum advance adjustment?
Eric

 

Clockwise until it pings then back it out about a 1/4 turn or until it stops pinging! Pretty much the same as the timing..... This is very helpful on mild to low accelerations, and will greatly improve mileage.

 

Thank you. So basically adjust it and take it for a drive, adjust and repeat.

This whole thread has been very informative.

 

.. yeah I carried a 3/32 allen in my center console for 3 or 4 days, until I got it just right. I reduced my distributor cam to 10L and found that I could have higher initial timing,(more low end throttle response) without going real high on the fully advanced timing, I am set at 16 at idle, and it goes to 36 at 3000 rpm. which gives better low end without losing any top end... the 15L was not as user friendly, set at 15 on idle and the at 3000 you are at 45 deg, so it would start to ping, or at 5, which kind of kills the low end it would then be a 35 at 3000. It is a matter of preference!

 

Where did you get a 10L cam? If I could find one; the rest is cake.
Thanks!

 

I took a stock ford Dizzythat I got at Auto Zone for about $40 which has a 10L and a 15L in it, I used the stock breaker plate with much lighter Mr. gasket springs that I got from Summit Racing for $4.25 and then a Pertronix ignitor II. I removed the old vac. adv. Swapped in an Adjustable Vac. adv. from Rock Auto $9 and topped it off with a 40,000 volt Flame thrower. Looks stock but runs much better! I had used an MSD with the 6AL trigger Box,when I built the engine, but it had no Vac Adv which gave great acceleration, but poor mileage. and I had eletrical issues with it too. My Home made set up gives great power, and easy adjustability, without the pain of Points, and around town I am averaging 15.88 MPG with a T98 and a 4:10 Dana 60. I have a torque cam from Comp Cam, and roller tipped Rockers with Comp Cam Hydraulic Lifters and stock push rods. Ported and polished GT heads out of an old Mustang that had a 390. with Sanderson headers and a custom built dual Exhaust made up by Doug's. I Built the 352 for reliability, meaning over kill on all of teh parts, but focused on Mileage and efficiency. It is topped off with an Edelbrock performer 390 intake and an 1805 thunder series 650 cfm carb. I still have the MSD stuff, and might sell it, if my nephew doesn't want it for his Mustang... But the Auto Zone dizzy was an easy do! took about 40 minutes to modify.... I used the link below for the how too.

Timing Tips for Ford Distributors