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Old Jul 4, 2013 | 11:45 AM
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390 timing

just curious where you guys with 390s set your timing? ive read everything from 30 to 40 degrees. im gonna mess with my timing today and try to get a lil more get up and go from my engine happy 4th everyone!
 
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Old Jul 4, 2013 | 02:26 PM
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Originally Posted by riverguideguy
just curious where you guys with 390s set your timing? ive read everything from 30 to 40 degrees. im gonna mess with my timing today and try to get a lil more get up and go from my engine happy 4th everyone!
Turn it to where it sounds the best... sometimes its better to do it by your ear than degrees.
 
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Old Jul 4, 2013 | 07:44 PM
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Mild performance etc, about 12-14 degrees initial and 38-40 total.

Bone stock 8-12 degrees initial.

Josh
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 01:00 AM
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crank it til you break it....

The factory numbers are for when you tune grandmas car on a sunday afternoon (4-8 degrees)

(10-12 degrees) on a stock 390 is what I would run.

If the motor is juiced up (18-20 degrees).

Just don't exceed 38 total and you should be golden.
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 01:20 AM
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Mine wont even run unless its around 30°... Could be some other **** going on though. I agree with doing it by sound. Not very scientific but a lot easier.
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 04:31 PM
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i bumped it up to 16 degrees and it seems to really like it. its a lot more peppy taking off from stop lights. i was using 10 degrees and it was kinda doggish. my mechanical advance is only 20 degrees so i should be ok using 16 degrees right? thats 36 degrees total.
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 04:35 PM
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Originally Posted by riverguideguy
i bumped it up to 16 degrees and it seems to really like it. its a lot more peppy taking off from stop lights. i was using 10 degrees and it was kinda doggish. my mechanical advance is only 20 degrees so i should be ok using 16 degrees right? thats 36 degrees total.
36-38 is the sweet point for an iron head FE. Just do not go past 40 degree with intial + mechanical.

Josh
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 07:00 PM
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ive only had 36 degrees timing for one day but so far im pretty happy with it. the engine sounds really strong and pulls really hard but i dont see all the timing until a lil after 3100 rpm. is that about right? or should i put lighter springs in so the timing comes in sooner?
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 07:42 PM
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That's not a bad rpm. You'll want it all in a little later for a truck anyways. I think mine is around 2500-2800 and I haven't had any issues.
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 09:28 PM
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Originally Posted by riverguideguy
i dont see all the timing until a lil after 3100 rpm. is that about right? or should i put lighter springs in so the timing comes in sooner?
You need to keep in mind you're driving a nearly 3 ton highboy...

Having the advance "all in" around 3,000 rpm +/- is pretty much where you wanna be...

Having the advance in too soon and it can be detonation city, if this FE were in a 3,000 lb. Mustang it'd be a different story, you'd wanna be "all in" around 2,000-2,500 rpm.

So... i wouldn't recurve the dizzy, you're OK where you're at, you can bump the initial up 2 more degrees if you feel the need to, but at 36 you have a little cushion, so if you're happy with it i'd leave it alone.
 
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Old Jul 6, 2013 | 10:28 PM
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So at what point on a stock low compression 390 does too much initial advance start to hurt low-er end power?
 
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Old Jul 7, 2013 | 01:41 PM
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i tried 18 degrees but it was kinda hard to start. like the starter was struggling to spin so i turned it back down to 16 degrees. i think ill just leave it there. it sounds really good to the ear and has a lot of get up and go. i havent heard any pinging but its kinda hard to hear over my exhaust but im listening pretty hard and cant hear anything so i think im ok. im only using 87 octane but i can jump to 89 if i have to. but right now this fe screams down the hiway so im happy.
 
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