Timing woes.
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Timing woes.
I've been trying to time my '79 302 so that i can install a new intake and manifold and set my mixture correctly and such. But i don't really know where it should be, i've been told 10* BTDC was correct, but where exactly is that on the harmonic in relation to the pointers. I see a "10" mark on my harmonic balencer. And there's a pointer shaped piece of metal coming off the case and a D shaped peice to the left of that about 2" away. Help, my engine keeps backfiring at low RPM.
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Joined: Jan 2001
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From: Virginia
Clean the balancer off really good so you can see the marks. You can even paint the zero mark with white out correction paint to make it stand out. The balancer should be marked with more lines and numbers on one side of zero, than the other. The side with more lines is BTDC, and that is the side you want.
Once you get straight in your head what you are looking for on the balancer, hook the timing light to #1, loosen the distributor clamp a little bit, plug the vacuum line going to the dist, and start the engine.
Shine the light down and see where the pointer is at. Grab the dist and turn it a little while you watch the mark. A higher BTDC number should make the engine idle faster. You can put it on 10, and then road test it. The best way to do it is make a note of where the timing is at first, and then advance the timing (more BTDC), and take it for a road test. Fine a nice long hill and pull it hard in high gear, listening for pinging. Keep advancing the timing till you hear pinging, and then back the timing off a little bit, and lock it down.
Once you get straight in your head what you are looking for on the balancer, hook the timing light to #1, loosen the distributor clamp a little bit, plug the vacuum line going to the dist, and start the engine.
Shine the light down and see where the pointer is at. Grab the dist and turn it a little while you watch the mark. A higher BTDC number should make the engine idle faster. You can put it on 10, and then road test it. The best way to do it is make a note of where the timing is at first, and then advance the timing (more BTDC), and take it for a road test. Fine a nice long hill and pull it hard in high gear, listening for pinging. Keep advancing the timing till you hear pinging, and then back the timing off a little bit, and lock it down.
Post Fiend
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 19,402
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From: Bonita Springs FL
Just clean off the balancer and hook up the light. Shine it down there and if you're lucky something will jump out at you. If not, then you'll need to look a little harder.
Pinging sounds like someone is hitting the side of the block with a hammer. It's pretty tough to miss.
Pinging sounds like someone is hitting the side of the block with a hammer. It's pretty tough to miss.
Hotshot
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 12,170
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From: The hills of No. Calif.
It's not a squeaking sound, it's more like gravel rattling inside a tin can and you would usually hear it best when the engine is lugging under load, like when you turn onto a side road and don't downshift, then try to accelerate in too high a gear or try to pull a hill without downshifting.
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Originally Posted by TigerDan
It's not a squeaking sound, it's more like gravel rattling inside a tin can and you would usually hear it best when the engine is lugging under load, like when you turn onto a side road and don't downshift, then try to accelerate in too high a gear or try to pull a hill without downshifting.
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