Before I had a timing light, thank you very much G-Body DAVE, I used to just turn the distributor until everything sounded right. Now that I have the light I noticed my timing is way off, or at least I think it is. Using the light, I turned the distributor until the "0" matched up with mark on the balancer. Is this what I am suppose to do? I had to turn the dist. clockwise to get it here. Please answer with very basic words like you're talking to my 6 year old.:grin: MARK
Try 10 or 12* on the timing tab. I know your timing tab may or may not go this high, but "guesstimate. Otherwise you'll need a "dialback" timing light set to the #, THEN line-up 0* with the mark on the balancer. Sears Craftsman makes the cheapest, most accurate "dialback" advance timing light. Comes in handy for setting TOTAL advance if your balancer isn't degree'd. Any help??
Jeff's right. Get a timing light that you can dial in for total timing. A regular timing light is good, but to be accurate you really need the light Jeff mentioned.
My Craftsman dial-back timing light is six degrees off when used on a distributor type ignition system with the dial back feature on. It is dead on when used on a distributorless, computerized system, for which it was designed for dial-back use. Conventional, non-computerixed systems leave the dial-back feature off. Mark the balancer. Distributorless systems, dial back feature is right at home.
That's interesting Dave. So my dial back timing light isn't very accurate on my distributor (HEI by Dave conversion)? I've been using it for all my timing adjustments. I don't suppose you could share the maths on how to mark the balancer exactly 30/32/34 degrees? I suppose it's something like... take the radius of the balancer and work out the circumferance using pi=? and then divide that by 360 to see how far around it is to 1 degree and then multiply that by the number of degrees you want to find and make a mark there. Am I close? Could you (or anyone) fill in the necessary gaps?
I've noticed. BUT why would it only work on DIS and not conventional? Does that also include MSD and other such?
Different light for different system!? Distributorless systems, aren't they also mostly Multi spark systems?o No: Is that the reason why one must use different timing light's? uzzled: Lars
Okay, I may take a little ride to have someone fine tune this thing but for now, with the timing light I have, is my timing set correctly? I don't have a dial-back light. Going back to grant455gs' comments, is the timing tab the numbered piece of metal on the block that matches up to the balancer mark? Sorry for the stupid questions, I'm still learning. I belive mine goes to "6". Is this where I should guesstimate to "10"? Thanks for all the comments, MARK
Yes, there are NO stupid questions, so no need to apologize, and yes to the last question. Experiment with this setting.. NO pinging! Make sure the vacuum advance hose to the distributor is diconnected and plugged while checking, adjusting.:Smarty: If you have points, make sure dwell is set right, idle speed on spec, idle air/fuel mixture correctly set, and engine fully warmed up.
Okay, thanks! I'm running an HEI system by the way. My timing light instructions tell me I need to put the car in neutral to adjust timing. Is this refering to a manual shift vehicle because I set mine while the car was in park? And finally, I'm okay with everything except spec idle speed. Is 800rpm spec? Thanks again, MARK
Distributorless systems have what is refered to as "computer lag". This requires a timing light that takes the lag into consideration, so...dial-back feature is added to a standard gun, so it will work on either type system, analog or computerized. Bill, 10 degree the mark on the balancer, make second line at TDC degree line, move 2nd line to 10 degrees, make another line at TDC line, move balancer, etc. Make 5 lines, this will give you six, so you can read 50 degrees on the crankshaft. Now, 4th line at 6 degree mark, 30 + 6 = 36 Lines would indicate degrees Stock, 0 2nd, +10 3rd, +20 4th, +30 5th, +40 Leave the dialback feature off with non-computerized/distributorless systems. MSD doesn't require a special setup IF YOU LEAVE THE DIALBACK FEATURE OFF.
This is just a short story about a boy named Lars Hi had some (big) problems with his 350buick (lack off low end power) and in search for help he turned to V8Buick! Here he got good advises, all of them pointed at two things: Degree the camshaft and power tune the ign.timing! On his way he took some pictures while making things right. Here is one off them shoving the stock timing mark (white) and the real TDC mark (4*off) This was all checked with a piston stop and a degree wheel. Before tearing things apart for the camshaft degree. Here is your easy basic by the bock ign.Timing Mark, from what I have read in your earlier posts your 350 is a -68, so is mine, so I believe you are familiar with the way things lock at the photo. (Dont worry, I did make easier to read marks later). At idle in park your stock TDC mark (white one) is supposed to line up some were at the 10-12* mark. Turning the distributor counter clockwise gives more *(if my memory serves me right.) That was the basic version. If you then want some power out off your (or any) engine (who doesnt) Do it the way the ignition man suggests! Its worth the effort, that I promise you! Type ping in the search field in this forum, and there is some more excellent descriptions, and pictures on how to get more out of the ignition. Mostly, thanks to one who calls him self Ignition man. None other forgotten! If this can help any one: I found that if there is (restricted to)3mm of vacuum movement in the distributor it is worth 8* (on a points distributor that is) I believe this will be 0,118 but you have to check this as I am known for making wrong when I try to covert mm to inch. By the way: Dave, I newer saw you describe that way of making 10,20 and so on marks before I dont mean to be rude, you seem tom bee a really, really god person, dont get this the wrong way.. But cant help my self, I am so curios. Did you just pick that method up somewhere? Lars
That was a wonderful story. I think I'll read it to my kids tonight!:grin: Thank you for the good info, MARK
I've been in the auto and motorcycle performance business for over 30 years. I have worked in factory roadracing departments and for aftermarket parts manufacturers that drag raced and also ran my own nitro fueled AA/FA, work on stuff for a three car Funny Car and another one car top fuel team, and just plain develope stuff for two Japanese factory race teams now. Large cap HEI for F-o-r-d, I did the first one, very late 1974, from grafting an Olds HEI top to a 289 points lowerr, then had it stolen by a cokmpany that has made millions from it, and other things I have developed, same thing. So now, I just patent what I design and go forward, even though others and big companies claim they were the first and take credit for stuff. If it makes rthem feel big and important, well, that is just them, let 'em have the limelite, I'll just go onward and keeop doing what I have been doing all my life, inventing. I find .086 (2.185mm) to be 8 crankshaft degrees, .120 (3.04mm) to be 10 degrees, as far as restricting a vacuum advance pull. Pics to you if the address is useable in this forum, which I doubt, seeing as it is from the ice age. If not, then send me an e/mail and I'll send stop pics for Crane, stock points and large cap HEI vacuum advance stops. sparkman451@earthlink.net
Hey IgnitionMan - So you are saying that the dialback feature is used to compensate for the timing lag due to the finite amount of time it takes the computer to process the signals from various sensors? So how does the dialback feature actually compensate for this? Do you have to know the amount of lag so you can dialback accordingly? I apologize if I am being stupid, but I have never dealt with distributorless ignition systems and I want to learn. Thanks, Ken
The "dial back" light is also called the "advanced timing light"? I am using this to time my engine (points dist) and I set the dial to 12 degrees, and then set the mark on the balancer to 0*. Is this correct? Or do I need to advance it more?
