My streetavenger camshaft came with a spec sheet and said timing offset 5 degress.

Does this mean i advance or retard the timing 5 degrees. Some say just keep advancing for other preformance addons. I added other things like headers and 9.2 compression pistons, 4brl carb and edelbrock intake. And which direction is advance clockwise or counterclockwise?

Thanks Chuck

 

They may be talking about cam timing with a special camshaft sprocket, not ignition timing. You had better call them to find out.

 

Yeah, don't confuse igntion timing with cam timing. Different animals, but they do effect each other. Most after market cams will have an advance built into them, so most will recomend running "straight up" timing gears. This should enable you to advance your ignition timing quite a bit for good performance. To advance the igntion timing you will turn the distributor clockwise. Set the timing using the "hot start" method for a starting point. I was running about 30 degrees advanced, but it would ping when towing my trailer up a steep grade, so I backed it off to 25 degrees and it runs great!

Beware though, this can also makeyou run lean, and can cause popping through the carb. Be prepared to richen up your carb some.

Good luck.

 

Dan,

You advanced timing 25 so are you firing after top dead ceter, because stock for my truck is 10 btdc so if i advace it clockwise i am moving twards TDC right. how big was your cam?

Thanks CHuck

 

Nope.

The event is TDC.

If you do something in ADVANCE, you are doing it earlier or BEFORE the event.
So advancing the timing more means you are firing earlier in the cycle, or a higher BTDC number. Anything going on After TDC is too late.

 

No, I advanced the igntion timing to 25 degrees which is before top dead center (btdc). Retarding the timing is atdc and puts performance in the toilet. Stock for my truck is (I think) 12 degrees btdc. I am running the stock cam, but with "straight up" roller timing gears. The cam timing comes 4 degrees retarded from the factory for smog reasons, and setting it to straight up lowers the peak torque rating, but also creates a lean condition which gave me fits until I figured it out.

An after market cam with this advance built into it will have a similar effect to what I did in advancing my stock cam. If you advanced a stock setup to 25 degrees igntion timing it would most likely ping like a sucker, and with my setup I can run advanced igntion timing with no pinging, which GREATLY improves performance.

You should be able to advance your timing way past 10 degrees and see a significant improvement, and then ad the performance of your cam on top of that and you should be very happy.

To set your timing, advance your ignition timing to the point that it has a hard time turning over with the engine warm. In my case, I had to actually remove the distributor and move it back a tooth on the dist. gear to make the room to advance it this far. My timing light showed it to be at about 33 degrees btdc. Then it may ping some under heavy load. Retard the timing just enough to make the pinging stop, and lock it down, your good to go. Mine was at 30 degrees btdc until I towed my trailer, then I baked it of to 25 and no more pinging. This is the "hot start method" and is great for performance, but may not be smog legal. Don't worry too much about the reading, 'cause the stock listing is for emmissions, NOT for performance.

I hope this is all understandable. Good luck