another timing question

[karinvail]

Yea, I've been through the archives and I'm just not sure on this one.

 

We don't have a timing light, so after the engine swap, we adjusted the timing as best we could by ear until we could get to a friend who had a timing light. Well, we did that - by the light we had it 20deg adv, so we timed it to 2deg adv. It was running not bad before, I just wanted to make sure it was OK. But, now at this setting it's a gutless wonder. Trying to get up to highway speed is real fun (NOT). It feels like it's pulling backwards on me If the distributor was in a tooth off, could it make it the 20deg or so off? We didn't put in the dist. ourselves - it was in the engine already from the wrecked car we bought for the engine. I was liking it much better the way we had it set by ear though

[Cougar]

I think there are some connection procedures you have to do before you use a timing light on the system, otherwise I think the timing will show 20 degrees when things are normal. So you may be correct with what you had before, doing the timing by ear.

[karinvail]

I think there are some connection procedures you have to do before you use a timing light on the system, otherwise I think the timing will show 20 degrees when things are normal. So you may be correct with what you had before, doing the timing by ear.

 

Oh, interesting! What are the procedures? I've never timed a car myself, I just watched our friend do it, but it took him a few times before he thought he had it where it was where he thought was right, so I'm not sure he's real good with that thing either! LOL. there were 2 wires that hooked to the battery pos/neg and a clip that went onto the #1 cylinder spark plug wire - and he did the timing with the vacuum advance unhooked I think. I think :-\

[MorganM]

Let's make sure we are all on the same page here.... what engine? Carb or EFI? I know you said vacume advance (carb engine) but you also said you set it to 20degrees BTDC and thats what the SPFI engine should be set to not the carb. Carb is suposed to be set to 8degrees BTDC.

 

There are lots of timing marks on the flywheel. What I did to help is roll the engine over by hand to 20 degrees BTDC (or 8 respectively to which engine you have) and use a white crayon to mark the line. That white shows up GREAT under the strobe light from the timing light.

 

Oh and do it yourself this time Its really easy. Unhook vacume advance for carb engine OR plug in green connectors up by fuel filter for SPFI engine. Hook up + and - cables properly to battery. Hook up wire to plug wire #1. Loosen 2 bolts at distributor so you can twist the dist by hand. Now with the engine running point the strobe light at your flywheel. Note what it's set to now; twist dist. Clock Wise to Advance timing, Counter Clock Wise to Retard timing. Once you got it where you want it tighten the bolts down WITHOUT moving the dist or you will accidently adjust timing.

[Craven]

You must also disconnect and plug the vacuum line going to the Dis.

[karinvail]

Let's make sure we are all on the same page here.... what engine? Carb or EFI? I know you said vacume advance (carb engine) but you also said you set it to 20degrees BTDC and thats what the SPFI engine should be set to not the carb. Carb is suposed to be set to 8degrees BTDC.

 

There are lots of timing marks on the flywheel. What I did to help is roll the engine over by hand to 20 degrees BTDC (or 8 respectively to which engine you have) and use a white crayon to mark the line. That white shows up GREAT under the strobe light from the timing light.

 

Oh and do it yourself this time Its really easy. Unhook vacume advance for carb engine OR plug in green connectors up by fuel filter for SPFI engine. Hook up + and - cables properly to battery. Hook up wire to plug wire #1. Loosen 2 bolts at distributor so you can twist the dist by hand. Now with the engine running point the strobe light at your flywheel. Note what it's set to now; twist dist. Clock Wise to Advance timing, Counter Clock Wise to Retard timing. Once you got it where you want it tighten the bolts down WITHOUT moving the dist or you will accidently adjust timing.

 

Sorry, this is a stock carbed EA82. I would have done the timing myself (I am a very do-it-yourself type person!), but we don't own a timing light. It was just a drop-in at hubby's friends and he mentioned he had a light.

OK, now I can't find where I read that 2deg adv was the right timing. It was set by ear (and hubby's friend said that the light said that was 20deg adv). So, 8 deg BTDC is the correct timing? BTDC means Before Top Dead Center? How does 'advanced/retarted' and BTDC corolate? Different terms.....

[MorganM]

Sorry, this is a stock carbed EA82. I would have done the timing myself (I am a very do-it-yourself type person!), but we don't own a timing light. It was just a drop-in at hubby's friends and he mentioned he had a light.

OK, now I can't find where I read that 2deg adv was the right timing. It was set by ear (and hubby's friend said that the light said that was 20deg adv). So, 8 deg BTDC is the correct timing? BTDC means Before Top Dead Center? How does 'advanced/retarted' and BTDC corolate? Different terms.....

 

As Craven noted you not only have to disconnect the vacume advance line but plug it also.

 

It should be set to 8deg Before Top Dead Center (BTDC). To advance it you would go from say 8deg BTDC to 10deg BTDC. To retard it you would go from 10deg BTDC down to 8deg BTDC.

[karinvail]

thank you thank you thank you! I am going to go see how much a timing light costs and mess with it myself if I can find a decent price on one You guys have been a great help!

[MorganM]

thank you thank you thank you! I am going to go see how much a timing light costs and mess with it myself if I can find a decent price on one You guys have been a great help!

 

Glad to help.

 

Might look into renting one. Tool rental places or even some auto parts stores rent tools. I've even found a guy nice enough at a local auto shop to just let me use the light for 10 min.