Distributor Set-up
Thread Starter
Burning Brakes
Joined: Nov 2006
Posts: 893
Likes: 7
From: Orange Park Florida
Distributor Set-up
I'm having trouble with the timing on my newly purchased '72 Stingray. At idle (700rpm) the car starts great, runs great, etc. The problem - my timing is set at between 16 and 18 degrees BTDC. If I drop the timing to the recommended 8 degrees BTDC, the car will idle, but will not restart, or, if placed in gear will stall.
The previous owner had removed/replaced the distributor and I think it is one gear tooth off. Can that be? If the distributor is off one gear, can you adjust the timing to match the error? That looks like what I have. Any thoughts?
The previous owner had removed/replaced the distributor and I think it is one gear tooth off. Can that be? If the distributor is off one gear, can you adjust the timing to match the error? That looks like what I have. Any thoughts?
Tech Contributor
Joined: Aug 1999
Posts: 14,370
Likes: 6,364
From: At my Bar drinking and wrenching in Lafayette Colorado
Having the distributor installed one tooth off has no effect on timing. It only affects the clocking of the distributor relative to the engine once you've set the timing.
Initial timing is pretty much irrelevant - you need to set up total timing to 36 degrees and take whatever initial you get. There is nothing wrong with initial timing in the 16 to 18 degree range as long as total is at 36. 18 degree initial is a great spec for a performance engine with a little bit of a cam.
Initial timing is pretty much irrelevant - you need to set up total timing to 36 degrees and take whatever initial you get. There is nothing wrong with initial timing in the 16 to 18 degree range as long as total is at 36. 18 degree initial is a great spec for a performance engine with a little bit of a cam.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Oct 2005
Posts: 2,056
Likes: 8
From: Redruth Cornwall
I'm having trouble with the timing on my newly purchased '72 Stingray. At idle (700rpm) the car starts great, runs great, etc. The problem - my timing is set at between 16 and 18 degrees BTDC. If I drop the timing to the recommended 8 degrees BTDC, the car will idle, but will not restart, or, if placed in gear will stall.
The previous owner had removed/replaced the distributor and I think it is one gear tooth off. Can that be? If the distributor is off one gear, can you adjust the timing to match the error? That looks like what I have. Any thoughts?
The previous owner had removed/replaced the distributor and I think it is one gear tooth off. Can that be? If the distributor is off one gear, can you adjust the timing to match the error? That looks like what I have. Any thoughts?
This should get you best performance.
Check out the sticky up top with regards timing, very informative.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 2,135
Likes: 2
From: Dayton Oh
with everyone above. Lots of things will make the timing appear "different". Start trying to get where Lars recommends. If you can't achieve the timing recommendations, then first start looking for worn dist advance, dist gears. etc or possibly vac leaks. I'm with Lars that too many folk think that they have a carb problem but it is really a timing related issue. I also have had the outer portion of the balancer slip that appears to show an out of timing problem but which is not actually.
Last edited by marshrat99; Dec 29, 2006 at 11:00 PM.
