nextime

I have set timing before but it was on a Ford.

What does the timing need to be set to TDC or BTDC and what degree and where is the #1 wire?

MelWff

The #1 plug is on the driver's side front of engine. 1977 had more than one 350 engine, L48, L82 and California. You dont have the emissions decal near the drivers side hood lock? You dont have the owners manual?

nextime

It is not my car and I am no where near the car to look.

I know the car was originally bought in WI and the engine was just replaced with a 300hp GM longblock in the past few years.

lars

You want to set the timing up for 36 degrees total, exactly like a Ford. If you don't know how to set total timing, drop me an e-mail request for my "How to Set Timing" paper, and I'll send you complete instructions.

Here's me and Matt King, former Editor of Hot Rod Magazine, setting up 36 degrees total timing on a 302 Ford at the Westech Performance dyno facility for an article we did for Hot Rod:



Lars
V8FastCars@msn.com

nextime

Yeah I got the part # from the owner. it was a GM 10067353 and looks like it is 10' BTDC.

nextime

Timing is set to 10'BTDC and is running smooth now.

The distributor was not even tightened down, must of shook its self out of tune.

lars

If you set the timing to 10 degrees at idle, you'll probably pass an emissions test with no problem. But a Honda Civic is going to blow your doors off. You really need to set the timing to 36 total and disregard the initial.

Lars

nextime

I just got a flashing strobe so I cant set it to 36.

Vette5.5

A dail back timing light is the easiest way, but depending on the diameter of your harmonic balancer, you can put another mark on it for the 36 degrees. Take Lars up on his offer, as he'll take care of you.

lars

Sure you can. Measure the circumference of your harmonic balancer, divide that number by 10, and put a mark on your balancer that distance clockwise from your existing "0" line. Complete instructions in the paper I suggested to you.

scottyp99

360 degrees in a circle, so, 1/10th of a circle is 36 degrees, get it?

OK, now, I don't want to ruin the party, but you also need to modify how quickly the centrifugal advance comes in. A stock distributor can still be advancing past 5000rpm. You need it to be all done advancing at 2500-3000 rpm, and for that full advance to be at 36 degrees. Just follow Lars' paper, and you will be fine, that's what I did the first time I recurved a distributor, and it's easier than it looks.

I have a plain old timing light, too, what I did was get a tape that sticks to the harmonic dampener, and shows the degrees. You can get 'em from Jeg's or Summit, or just make a mark. Good luck!


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott

Jack Wood

Get Lar's paper on setting your timing.
It made all the difference in the world on how my engine runs.

nextime

Email sent.

Thank you all.