Big Blocks - How much base timing to you run?
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Joined: Feb 2000
Posts: 90
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From: livonia, mi, usa mi
Re: Big Blocks - How much base timing to you run? (marky mark)
forget about initial and set it for 38 degrees total. With my distributor this takes about 20 degrees. plug the vacume advance and use one light spring and one medium spring from one of those kits that are sold at the speed shops. DO NOT use the weights that come with it. This is basically what LARS kit contains along with a vacume advance with only 12 degrees of advance.buy the pertronics ignitor 2 and coil and set the proper endplay and watch that thing come to life. I have built a second distributor and the pertronics 2 is better than the original.dont ask me why i need two of them?
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 6
Re: Big Blocks - How much base timing to you run? (morgan)
I have a Mallory Unilite with a mechanical advance and tach drive distributor in the car now. My mechanic set it about 20 deg advanced at idle and I thought that to be way too high. I guess that it isn't wrong after all! I always thought that you went for -4 to -8 deg base timing. Guess not!
Thanks for the reply and help!!!
Regards, mark
Thanks for the reply and help!!!
Regards, mark
Drifting
Joined: Jun 2000
Posts: 1,955
Likes: 2
Re: Big Blocks - How much base timing to you run? (marky mark)
You would set it for 4-8 if you had vacuum advance, because the vacuum pulls in more timing on demand. If you are totally mechanical then you have to dial in more initial to compensate for the lack of vacuum advance. I think driveability suffers a little bit on the street without vacuum advance...anyway, sounds like you have your advance about right at 20, I think I was running anywhere from 18 to 22 initial with my '74 Corvette 350 when I was using the mechanical distributor.
Jeff
Jeff
Racer
Joined: Oct 2000
Posts: 329
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From: Ft Walton Bch FL
Re: Big Blocks - How much base timing to you run? (marky mark)
I agree with Morgan. Total timing is what counts. Unless you have very high compression, 38deg should do good. The base and curve should be as aggressive as you can be without detonation or hard starting. You want to have all the advance in by cruise rpm. Either mark the damper or get a tape, and run the rpm's up and check with a timing light and tach to see where it maxes out. From there you can tweak the bottom end of the curve for your application, then hang on. :crazy:
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2000
Posts: 1,211
Likes: 6
Re: Big Blocks - How much base timing to you run? (dually4wd)
So, having a mechanical distributor changes the way you set base timing?? I did not know that. That I did not know (reference to Johnny Carson for some reason).
Anyway, thanks for the "timely" info! This Forum never ceases to amaze me!!
Regards, mark
Anyway, thanks for the "timely" info! This Forum never ceases to amaze me!!
Regards, mark
Race Director
Joined: Nov 2000
Posts: 11,872
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From: Waterloo ontario Canada
Re: Big Blocks - How much base timing to you run? (marky mark)
I have a unitlite distributor and lock the advance curve to zero. I use a msd timing computer and don't worry about initial timing. I set it around 38 at full advance witch should be all in by 3000. I also run a msd adjustable timing from inside the car and fine tune it driving down the road.
Norval
Norval
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