What is the correct timing for a 1966 327 350HP?

 

Thanks. What is it fully advanced?

 

The basics are to be to have app. 36 degrees total with vacuum advance disconnected and plugged. There are some very good sticky threads explaining it in detail.

 

Not sure of the specifics of each year but they did vary, but 10+28 sounds about right. If you go to the articles by people like Lars Grimsrud they explain it very well and if you make some of the changes they suggest your car will run even stronger.

 

It's cool you got it from your Dad. I actually did my car basically the same way you're going to do yours. I got it a long time ago (limited budget) and plugged away from there. The people on the forum are pretty open to all Corvettes. If you go to the top of the thread page you will see a Faq thread, go in there and you will find a lot of great info including the distributor info I talked about. Good luck with your car.
Gary

 

Did you find the sticky C1-C2 faq thread? Have a good one.

 

Here are a couple of timing articles from the FAQ page, they are very helpful for what you are struggling with.

Pete

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...101Article.pdf

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...101Article.pdf

 

I asked the same question two days ago

Read this

http://www.lbfun.com/warehouse/tech_...%20ADVANCE.pdf

 

Thanks for all your help. I am a newbie so forgive my ignorance here. I may have compound problem here. I posted the original question yesterday. I posed the question because the car (66 327 350HP) would cut-out at 3500rpm. We reset the timing to 37 degrees fully advanced. As a result, the car is the fasted the car I have ever driven. No misses, no cutting-out, no dieselling or pinging. However, after a spirited rip though the gears and reaching operating temp, the temp gauge reads a consistent 225. The temp does not drop after reaching this temp. How much does timing advance affect operating temp?

I have previously replaced the radiator (rebuilt direct-fit type by my local shop), fan clutch, hoses, belt. I have sealed the shroud area with weather stripping.

Thanks again for all your help.

 

An over advanced timing condition will not cause overheating. It will however result in detonation or knocking which can result in a burnt piston. Ascertain first your actual temperature with an IR thermometer or you could tape a kitchen thermometer to the upper radiator hose if you don't have an IR. Most likely you have a sender out of calibration.

If the IR thermometer and gauge temperature are the same perhaps the radiator is the problem. Are you using a brass or aluminum radiator? A brass replacement has about 3/4 the efficiency of an aluminum one. Also does your distributor have the correct VAC hooked up to a full time manifold vacuum?

 

I will check it today- weather permitting. Thanks

 

As read by an accurate temperature gauge and an engine cooled with OEM cooling system capacity, slow timing (within reason) will not affect engine operating temperature as read by the dash gauge. Slow timing WILL increase exhaust gas temperature but that increased heat will be readily absorbed and then rejected by a cooling system that is at least equal to OEM and you should never see it on the gauge.

At least part of your perceived problem is the copper replacement radiator. I've seen a lot of "overheating threads" where the owners used a copper radiator. I believe it's accurate to say that the owners with copper radiators would be 100% in agreement that their engines will not run at 180* under all conditions. Most report operating temperatures ranging from 185 to 220 degrees.

No telling how many timing lights, infrared guns, thermostats, high flow water pumps, belts, hoses, electric water pumps, electric fans, etc., etc. have been sold just to check/drop the operating temperature of a mid-year Corvette that had a copper radiator in it.

If you have a good pressure cap and you're not boiling over, not vapor locking or having driveability issues and the nervous glances at the temperature gauge doesn't distract you, many will agree it won't hurt to run your engine at this temperature.

I have a copper radiator in one of my mid-years. I don't drive the car in weather over 90*, I don't "rip it through the gears" and if it heats up a little in slow driving, a short hop at highway speeds cools it right down in the area of 180-185 degreees. On the other end of the scale, my other mid-year has an aluminum OEM style radiator in it. Two years ago, I drove it all summer with no fan at all on it. It worked fine that way, didn't overheat unless I took too many laps around the courthouse without peeling off and heading for an open street.

If you have the money, a new aluminum radiator is the best solution as you will always have a problem(?) with the copper radiator in there.

To answer your question, I don't think advanced timing (within reason) will raise the engine temperature as recorded by your dash gauge. It can casue other, far more serious problems.

 

You need to have somebody work on your engine for you. You're wasting a lot of money with that 100 octane while not fixing your problem.