Quick timing question.....
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Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Madison Ms
Quick timing question.....
I found an email from Lars explaining setting the timing on an MSD ready to run distrib. I still a bit confused as to this part however.......
Lars says to put the softest springs in, remove vac, set timing light on 36, and blip up throttle to see if timing is advancing beyond 36. If I'm understanding this correctly, then you do not want the 0 mark on the balancer to pass the 0 mark on the timing tab. Is this correct? Or, do you make sure the the O mark on balancer does not go past 36 TDC? (No 36 on timing tab?) You do this by adjusting the distributor and springs, and possibly a bushing change.........
Second question.......When setting initial timing do you set the timing light at 16 and then make the 0 mark on balancer line up with 16 while moving the distrib.........or..........do you set timing light at 0, and then move the light **** until balancer 0 and tab 0 are line up and then see what your setting is on the timing light? Or does this do the same thing?
Lars says to put the softest springs in, remove vac, set timing light on 36, and blip up throttle to see if timing is advancing beyond 36. If I'm understanding this correctly, then you do not want the 0 mark on the balancer to pass the 0 mark on the timing tab. Is this correct? Or, do you make sure the the O mark on balancer does not go past 36 TDC? (No 36 on timing tab?) You do this by adjusting the distributor and springs, and possibly a bushing change.........
Second question.......When setting initial timing do you set the timing light at 16 and then make the 0 mark on balancer line up with 16 while moving the distrib.........or..........do you set timing light at 0, and then move the light **** until balancer 0 and tab 0 are line up and then see what your setting is on the timing light? Or does this do the same thing?
Last edited by MsVetteMan; May 4, 2006 at 11:32 AM.
Racer
Joined: Mar 2005
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From: Jacksonville FL
does your timing light have a **** on the back to set the advance?
if it does, then the answer to both questions is yes, zero mark on balancer ligns up with zero mark on timing tab with timing light set to 16 or 36 depending on which you are looking at.
if you do not have an adjustable timing light, then you will have to make a mark on the ballancer for 16 and for 36 then you make those lines line up with the zero mark on the timing tab.
i would get the adjustable light if you don't have it. it's a little on the expensive side (just a little) but i think the convience is well worth the few extra $$'s.
good luck and i hope this helps.
Mike.
if it does, then the answer to both questions is yes, zero mark on balancer ligns up with zero mark on timing tab with timing light set to 16 or 36 depending on which you are looking at.
if you do not have an adjustable timing light, then you will have to make a mark on the ballancer for 16 and for 36 then you make those lines line up with the zero mark on the timing tab.
i would get the adjustable light if you don't have it. it's a little on the expensive side (just a little) but i think the convience is well worth the few extra $$'s.
good luck and i hope this helps.
Mike.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Originally Posted by MsVetteMan
If I'm understanding this correctly, then you do not want the 0 mark on the balancer to pass the 0 mark on the timing tab. Is this correct?
Once total timing is set, you can then check initial and see if it is falling in an acceptable range of 16-20 degrees. If not, change advance stop bushings to alter the length of the timing curve, always holding the 36 total spec.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Madison Ms
Originally Posted by mdj21
does your timing light have a **** on the back to set the advance?
if it does, then the answer to both questions is yes, zero mark on balancer ligns up with zero mark on timing tab with timing light set to 16 or 36 depending on which you are looking at.
if you do not have an adjustable timing light, then you will have to make a mark on the ballancer for 16 and for 36 then you make those lines line up with the zero mark on the timing tab.
i would get the adjustable light if you don't have it. it's a little on the expensive side (just a little) but i think the convience is well worth the few extra $$'s.
good luck and i hope this helps.
Mike.
if it does, then the answer to both questions is yes, zero mark on balancer ligns up with zero mark on timing tab with timing light set to 16 or 36 depending on which you are looking at.
if you do not have an adjustable timing light, then you will have to make a mark on the ballancer for 16 and for 36 then you make those lines line up with the zero mark on the timing tab.
i would get the adjustable light if you don't have it. it's a little on the expensive side (just a little) but i think the convience is well worth the few extra $$'s.
good luck and i hope this helps.
Mike.
Yes, I do have the adjustment ****.......so if I'm doing initial timing then I preset the **** to 16, squeeze the trigger, and adjust distrib. until 0 on balancer lines up with 0 on timing tab.
If I'm checking advance, same thing but set to 36 (but don't move distrib.), and make sure 0 mark on balancer doesn't pass 0 on tab going torwards BDC area when blipping the throttle, correct? If it does, I need to change to stiffer springs, correct?
Last edited by MsVetteMan; May 4, 2006 at 12:13 PM.
Thread Starter
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2005
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From: Madison Ms
Originally Posted by lars
Yes. Set your timing light to 36, yank the vac advance hose off, and rev the engine up until the timing stops advancing. At this point, the timing line should align with "0". Rotate the distributor to correct.
Once total timing is set, you can then check initial and see if it is falling in an acceptable range of 16-20 degrees. If not, change advance stop bushings to alter the length of the timing curve, always holding the 36 total spec.
Once total timing is set, you can then check initial and see if it is falling in an acceptable range of 16-20 degrees. If not, change advance stop bushings to alter the length of the timing curve, always holding the 36 total spec.
I can just preset the initial to make sure I'm in the ball park. But, you are saying when checking advance to set on 36 and make sure by ADJUSTING the distrib. that it doesn't pass the 0 mark! If by adjusting distrib. I can't make it stay below 36, then I adjust with heavier springs until I can get the correct limit. As long as I can adjust the distrib., with the softest springs to stay below 36, then I'm okay.
Only change bushing if initial is not between 16-20......I'm assuming with the bigger black bushing that came with the distrib.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
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From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Springs don't change the limit - you don't change springs to get above or below 36. You turn the distributor. Springs change the rpm at which the total timing occurs. They do not change the timing itself.
