Timing without the light...
 

I just did a search for timing issues in this forum and read through the 20 or so odd threads that came up for the past 6 months.

I have a stock 78 F-150, 351M, C-6, 4x4, sea level, and know it should be 12 BTDC. The engine is rebuilt with new dist, accessories, etc. However, I don't have a timing light.

When the carb was rebuilt it came with timing instructions from Pony Carbs to basically advance the timing as far as it will go, ie, until the engine pings, and then back it off a hair so that it doesn't ping, and that's it.

Does anybody else use this method or do you all trust that timing light, and if so, any recommendations on a cheap but trusty timing light brand?

most people that I know use a timing light when it's somebodie elses truck, other than that use the other these are the most trust worthy IMO.

Power timing allows you set the timing for real conditions.

For example, I live at 3500 feet. I can run a lot more timing advance than the stock setting.

You can keep getting in and out of the vehicle and bumping the timing around until you find the best setting, or you can use a choke cable to move the distributor while you are driving. Set the timing for best power without pinging.

Make sure the engine is hot, and make sure you put the engine under load. Pulling a steep hill is the best load.

Be sure to tighten the distributor back down when you're done.

If you find you get some pinging under extreme conditions, it's easy to bump the timing back a notch to compensate.

Ok, that's basically what I did. I think the problems I had with how it was running is because the timing wasn't advanced far enough.

To set the timing, slowly rev it to 3000 rpm with the vac advance hooked up, if it doesn't ping bump it up somemore. keep bumping the timing up till it pings then back it down some. the timing is set.