setting timing........
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
setting timing........
I was tuning up my truck today, and I upgraded to a pertronix ignitor points system and did away with points! Now I try to set the timing around 8 BTD, it will not run right at all. I have to advance it way up, not sure what it is, but its about 1 inch away from 8 degrees on the balancer! Now the one thing I did do different was gap my spark plugs at 45 instead of 35, would this be the reason?
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,417
Likes: 3
From: Durham, NC
setting timing........
Welcome to FTE!!!
There are 3 possibilities:
1) The new ignition system is bad
2) With the higher spark voltage (by gapping your plugs to 0.045)
something else is breaking down; plug wires, distributor cap, or
rotor).
3) Plug wires are crossed
There are 3 possibilities:
1) The new ignition system is bad
2) With the higher spark voltage (by gapping your plugs to 0.045)
something else is breaking down; plug wires, distributor cap, or
rotor).
3) Plug wires are crossed
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Bothell, WA
setting timing........
When I installed by remanufactured motor I put in the Pertronix kit in the reman distributor. Statically set the timing at TDC before installing the motor.
Once I got it running I disconnected the vaccum advance, and plugged it, then set it to 8 BTDC by the strobe light. Runs like a clock. I have a new coil and new wires, so that may be an issue for you. Are you sure your vacuum advance is working?
Kevin
Once I got it running I disconnected the vaccum advance, and plugged it, then set it to 8 BTDC by the strobe light. Runs like a clock. I have a new coil and new wires, so that may be an issue for you. Are you sure your vacuum advance is working?
Kevin
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
setting timing........
OK guys. here we go......
I checked the firing order, all is good.
I have all new ignition system. New alternator, new voltage regulator, new distributer cap, rotor button, wires and plugs. I regapped the plugs to 35, still showing the same thing when I use the timing light.
I also checked the advance, and it is advancing. One strange thing is that when I unplugged the hose from the advance, it did not change a bit in when idling or anything! But it does advance as I tried to gas it when unplugged and it wouldnt take the gas right, so I plugged it back up!
Funny thing is, it idles good and runs good. The only thing that bothered me was it would not crank as good as it used to. I used to could just touch the ignition switch and it would fire up, now it will turn over a little bit before firing up, thats when I decided to check the timing and noticed where it was at!
I checked the firing order, all is good.
I have all new ignition system. New alternator, new voltage regulator, new distributer cap, rotor button, wires and plugs. I regapped the plugs to 35, still showing the same thing when I use the timing light.
I also checked the advance, and it is advancing. One strange thing is that when I unplugged the hose from the advance, it did not change a bit in when idling or anything! But it does advance as I tried to gas it when unplugged and it wouldnt take the gas right, so I plugged it back up!
Funny thing is, it idles good and runs good. The only thing that bothered me was it would not crank as good as it used to. I used to could just touch the ignition switch and it would fire up, now it will turn over a little bit before firing up, thats when I decided to check the timing and noticed where it was at!
Junior User
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 61
Likes: 0
From: Bothell, WA
setting timing........
With mine the idle vacuum is enough to advance the timing a bit, do you see this too? I don't remember how much, but certainly a couple of degrees. Giving it some gas with the strobe light on suggests that I'm getting quite a lot of advance under acceleration.
I wonder if perhaps you have a slight vacuum leak somewhere, and you're not getting as much advance as you need.
Kevin
I wonder if perhaps you have a slight vacuum leak somewhere, and you're not getting as much advance as you need.
Kevin
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
setting timing........
hummmm. Well, good question. Like I said, when I unplugged the hose from the distributer, it didnt move ANY I dont think. I dont even think there was that much vacuum coming from the carb at all to move the advance any. Do you think maybe the hose is bad? I will go try another one right now...........
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
setting timing........
Nope, thats not what it was. I put a new hose on it and still same thing. I checked all my hoses for leakes and they are all good. What else do you think?
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New User
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 0
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setting timing........
Maybe you are ONE tooth off the mark when you put the new distributor in?
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Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
setting timing........
Mil1ion, yes, I was thinking maybe that was it as well. But being off one tooth or so with the distributer, would it still run and drive good? Or would it just show the timing mark to be off? Would it make a difference running wise, and cranking wise?
Postmaster
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 4,417
Likes: 3
From: Durham, NC
setting timing........
Originally posted by Mil1ion
Maybe you are ONE tooth off the mark when you put the new distributor in?
Maybe you are ONE tooth off the mark when you put the new distributor in?
being off 1 tooth.....
Thread Starter
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Laughing Gas
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 884
Likes: 13
From: Bassett Virginia
setting timing........
Maybe thats my problem. If I try to "retard" it enough to be at 8 degrees, it will almost die. Right now its sitting about 1 - 1 1/2 inches to the right of the 8 degree mark on the balancer.........
But does this make a difference in the performance at all?????
But does this make a difference in the performance at all?????
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 609
Likes: 0
From: Watauga TEXAS
setting timing........
It won't matter if you're a tooth off- once you set the timing to your specs, you will have turned the dist. enough to compensate. The only timing that matters if your a tooth off is valve timing.
Joe
Joe
Elder User
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 609
Likes: 0
From: Watauga TEXAS
setting timing........
No- Valve timing is not affected by the distributor- valve timing is affected by your timing chain.
Did you install a new timing chain? That is the only time you should suspect valve timing is if you installed a new chain.
Joe
Did you install a new timing chain? That is the only time you should suspect valve timing is if you installed a new chain.
Joe