390 timing
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Junior User
Joined: Nov 2005
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390 timing
Just did a rewire, new ignition, condenser, plugs/wires, etc, and somehow my timing got all jacked up. I just reset it to 10* ... It cranks right up and runs smooth, but it seems to not have the power it did before. Any suggestions for setting the timing so it's more aggressive? It has an Edelbrock carb/intake, but stock exhaust manifold and some crappy mufflers.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,867
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From: Alton, MO
Throw the timing light on the bench. Loosen the distributor just enough to be able to move it. Fire the beast up. Advance the timing, test with acceleration. Keep advancing until acceleration drops off a bit. Now let it warm up. Turn it off. Will it start or does it drag like a dead battery? Drag - yes back it off just a hair. Try to start it. Repeat until it starts ok when hot. You now have the timing set. You can check it with a light just to make you feel better.
Postmaster
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 3,026
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From: Renton, WA
Throw the timing light on the bench. Loosen the distributor just enough to be able to move it. Fire the beast up. Advance the timing, test with acceleration. Keep advancing until acceleration drops off a bit. Now let it warm up. Turn it off. Will it start or does it drag like a dead battery? Drag - yes back it off just a hair. Try to start it. Repeat until it starts ok when hot. You now have the timing set. You can check it with a light just to make you feel better.
Soco I could write a book on setting timing, the question is how involved you want to get, otherwise the above is a good start.
Logistics Pro
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 4,762
Likes: 54
From: Antelope Valley ,CA
if truck ran fine before new cap,rotor,plugs and wires then runs poor , i'd say you either have some wires mixed up or one wire is not 100% connected to cap or plug .
if you didn't touch dizzy hold down there's no way timing changed .
if you didn't touch dizzy hold down there's no way timing changed .
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New User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19
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From: Phoenix, Az
Could be...
When the OP says "Module", do you think he replaced the points? Perhaps his dwell is off...
Just throwing it out there. Not sure if he is running a converted ignition or not, but I assume not because he replaced a condenser...
Either way, if he didn't set his points properly, and gapped his plugs incorrectly...
Just sayin... For what he posted, his dwell and plug gap could be off enough to give weak spark, affect performance, and alter timing...
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running bad
New User
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 19
Likes: 0
From: Phoenix, Az
That all has to be resolved before timing.
I have no reference on the OP's experience level, but you can't just drop stuff in a 40 year old truck and then wonder WTF?
It's old stuff... It wants YOU to know what you are doing... and tell it what to do.
Definitely NOT plug and play...
If that makes any sense.
Hotshot
Joined: Oct 2002
Posts: 18,488
Likes: 22
From: The Big, Oregon
As part of "etc" it may have been retimed- In which case it may have been adjusted with the vacuum line hooked up which will retard the timing. When I got my Courier, it would fire right up, run smooth, but had -zero- power. I attributed this to it's being a four cylinder, but when I did the timing belt, I reset the timing properly and it actually was able to get out into traffic.
Posting Guru
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 1,867
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From: Alton, MO
If I remember right the official gauge to use for the points is a matchbook cover. I got many running again using that. Always kept a book of matches in the glovebox