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Yesterday I decided to check the base and mechanical advance timing on my 454 with power steering and A/C fan blades (you know, the 7-blade with the tips that extend beyond the fan shroud). The only way to see the timing tab is to lean way over and try to sight down from over top the engine. If you get the timing light just a little too close, the fan tips will remind you that they are further out than what you might expect!
In trying to see the "all-in" timing and making sure it stops ~3600 rpm, your face is only a foot or so away from the fan. To say it's an unnerving experience is an understatement – I did my best but decided I wasn't going to confirm the readings! Unbeknownst to me, my wife was watching from the kitchen and said it looked pretty exciting.
As I packed up the timing light and put the air cleaner back on the engine, I decided that next time I try this I'm going to rig up a bore scope sort of arrangement on my phone and view the timing tab from a safe distance!
2020 Corvette of the Year Finalist (performance mods)
2019 C3 of Year Winner (performance mods)
2016 C3 of Year Finalist
I would put one medium and one soft spring in there and get your all in closer to 3000. My 427 likes it. Agreed seeing the timing mark with all the pulleys and belts is a struggle.....im afraid I'll put a finger on a belt and get sucked into the alternator..
I would put one medium and one soft spring in there and get your all in closer to 3000. My 427 likes it. Agreed seeing the timing mark with all the pulleys and belts is a struggle.....im afraid I'll put a finger on a belt and get sucked into the alternator..
Yeah. I need to experiment a little more. I don't recall what springs are in it and was just trying to confirm what I thought it's top mech. advance was. After the bore scope idea struck me I'm more open to the idea of revisiting the process. 🙂