Timing a 1980 400 cid
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From: SE Michigan
Timing a 1980 400 cid
I am trying to time my 1980 400 cid and having trouble decyphyering the timing marks on the balancer. The spec is for 3 degress BTDC. My harmonic balancer has a mark for TDC then has marks and text that reads 10, 20, 30 (on the BTDC side of the balancer). Is the 10, 20, 30 meant to mean 1,2,3 degrees or does it mean what is says, 10, 20, 30 degrees?
As i said the spec is 3.0 degrees BTDC it was set at 10...i moved it to 30, am trying to solve a hard start condition. The move to 30 didnt help.
As i said the spec is 3.0 degrees BTDC it was set at 10...i moved it to 30, am trying to solve a hard start condition. The move to 30 didnt help.
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10 20 30 means just that. You might have to go out on a limb and just turn the dist till it runs the way you want it. When these balancers get old, the rubber can get loose and the balancer can drift around and throw the marks off.
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From: SE Michigan
thanks, looks like the timing light will be coming back out tonight.
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Depending on your 400's health, you might gain power and economy by giving it more initial lead. By that I mean you should try more than 3˚ BTDC and see what happens. I just dialed in 16˚ on my "little" 400, meaning a 351M.
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From: Belen NM
I have the same problem! On my 351W, the starter will drag for the first few revolutions when hot and then take off normally. Will advancing the timing past the 10 degrees spec help this. I do not have problems with pre-ignition at 10 degrees using 87 octane at 5k feet altitude.
I have checked all the cabling and parts and everything checks out and ground contacts are good.
I have checked all the cabling and parts and everything checks out and ground contacts are good.
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From: Missouri
I have the same problem! On my 351W, the starter will drag for the first few revolutions when hot and then take off normally. Will advancing the timing past the 10 degrees spec help this. I do not have problems with pre-ignition at 10 degrees using 87 octane at 5k feet altitude.
I have checked all the cabling and parts and everything checks out and ground contacts are good.
I have checked all the cabling and parts and everything checks out and ground contacts are good.
Your starter, battery or connections may just be weak because you should have no problems with 10 initial.. considering that is most likely the stock setting.
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From: SE Michigan
So heres my question, there is a centrifugal advance right? Could i have a problem with that? and how do i check it? or do i retard the timing some more?
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I dialed it in at 3 degrees BTDC and it helped alot. It will still start hard when warm. I can flood the cylinders with 2-3 pumps of the gas pedal and it will romp a couple times then take off. It tells me there is still a timing issue.
So heres my question, there is a centrifugal advance right? Could i have a problem with that? and how do i check it? or do i retard the timing some more?
So heres my question, there is a centrifugal advance right? Could i have a problem with that? and how do i check it? or do i retard the timing some more?
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