I just got my 400 installed and have had it fired up. I'm now ready to set the timing so I can dial the carb in and am not quite sure how to go about this. The builder suggests the timing be set at 32 degrees and now I'm not quite sure what he meant by that and they're closed till Monday. I have a timing light and know how it works but I'm not quite sure what the heck I'm looking with the timing mark on the balancer and the timing plate
Any help on this will be greatly appreciated.
Thanks folks

 

This is a great place to start understanding timing and how to get the most out of it. I recently used his advice with great success. My car now runs better than it ever has in the nine years I have owned it!

http://forums.corvetteforum.com/c3-t...long-post.html

 

Very simple. Disconnect your vacuum advance from your distributor. Now I find this much easier with a helper: Now just point your timing light at the balancer. Have someone give her gaz ...you wil notice the timing mark moving...keep giving her gaz untill the timing mark stops moving. That means your timing is all in. This will probably be between 2500 and 4000rpm. So for example if youre timing is all in at 3300 rpm well with the engine reving at 3300rpm set the dial on your timing light (assuming its a dialback) to 32 degrees. If the timing mark aligns with the 0 mark on the timing plate, youre timing is 32 degrees. If they do not align, move your timing light dial untill they align. Once they align, check the reading. If they align at 30 degrees for example it means your total timing is at 30 degrees. To change the timing, lossen the distributor hold down bolt just enough to be able to rotate it and rotate it slightly and recheck your timing. Rotating the distributor will change your timing. Do this untill you have 32 degrees of timing. Many will suggest to put it at 36 degrees witch is what I run my 74 at. Once you have your timing set at 32 degrees, reconnect the vacuum advance and recheck the timing. Your all in timing should be probably 15-16 degrees higher now as the vacuum advance will add that. Just make sure your total timing does not go over 52 degrees! You should also check your base timing at idle witch your engine instructions probably tell you how much it should be. Hope this helps.

 

Darn! Had forgot about that! Should of just posted that link instead of writting up the procedure!

 

Once you set the mechanical advance to 32-36 degrees and re-plumb the vacuum advance in, check it out for and detonation [pinging]. If you get pinging, just back off the distributor {retard the setting} a couple of degrees at a time, until no more pinging is heard. Also, don't worry about the timing at idle as long as it idles smoothly.