I know it isn't a Buick engine but it may help another Buick guy. A young lady (30 or so?) getting into the hot rod scene has a stock bottom end 350 Chevy, mild cam, stock exhaust manifolds, Edelbrock 1407 on a dual plane intake and HEI that is currently running 10 degrees initial and something like 28 all in by 3500. It's transplanted into a '48 Chevy pickup with a T-350 automatic. High 3 series gears. She describes the problem as a light pinging at 2200 - 3000 rpm with any additional advance in the distributor, nothing before that or after. She also said that it was worse before a metering rod change and backing down the timing. My advice to her was try two to four jets sizes bigger, a selection of metering rods and switching the vacuum source between manifold and ported to see which gives the best in driveability. Any other suggestions? A new carburetor isn't an option, budgets you know?
Maybe take out some of the initial timing and add it back after 3000 RPM? Or just try slightly heavier springs so the mechanical advance is slightly delayed? I suppose an A/F meter setup would be very helpful for carb tuning...
