Best you purchase a dial back timing light and a vacuum gauge.Learn how to tune your own engine it will save you money if you plan on keeping your Vette.Drop Lars an email and he will send you his timing paper .Lars Grimsrud <v8fastcars@msn.com>;

 

The guy already has 2 timing lights, he just doesn't want to use 'em!

81$$pit, you probably just need another new carb, have you tried a Q-jet yet? Or maybe one of those new Summit carbs? How about a coffee can with a hole in the bottom?


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott

 

Guys......remind me not to buy any used white 81's from Cedar Springs!!!!!!!!!!!

 

I don't get it. Why wouldn't he want to use a light? It's so easy.

 

I agree with you on the timing but the rest should be good. I had the engine taken out and gone through and replaced the carb and dist with a 600 Edelelbrock and Accel HEI performance dist. I would think the Accel would have lighter springs but all the plugs wires timing chain, gears and oil pump water pump and intake were replaced.
The car ran great going down the road but loaded up on idle "sticky needle seat", took it back and got another, same problem, took it back, got a 670 Avenger by mistake and I think it was a return. That's when the pinging started. Took it to a shop "highly recommended on this forum", they were supposed to performance tune the carb and timing and re seal the rear diff. Got it back and it barley ran.
Sooo basically, I'm not a mechanic but I'm tired of paying good money out to so called good mechanics and then have to "try" and get it running right myself.
I just bought a timing light last summer but its a regular light.
When I try to get the initial timing even close the gauge let alone 8 degrees BTDC it wont run. It was like that before I had any engine work done as well. It is advanced about 1/4 inch past the bottom of the gauge.

 

Email sent.

 

When a mechanic sees something out of whack, such as not being able to set what should be reasonable timing, then they start looking for root causes. In this case, verifying that you're using the right technique to set timing and verifying TDC is step one...all in the sticky that I originally referenced, and as Lars' paper will as well.

Setting timing "by ear" will always be too advanced; the fact that you leaned your idle mixture to get rid of backfiring from incorrect timing is a Bad Thing - advanced timing + lean mixture = burned pistons.

 

OK, 81$$pit, you have been given all the info that you need to do what you need to do, but for some reason you just don't want to do it. Here's what you sound like:

You: Hey guys, I have a problem. I'm standing out in the rain, and I'm getting all wet. I am trying to run around and dodge the raindrops, but it doesn't seem to be working. Any ideas?

Forum: You should get an umbrella and use it.

You: I have two umbrellas, but I don't feel like using them.

Forum: You should get one of your umbrellas and open it up, then hold it straight up, it will shield you from the rain, and then you won't be getting wet any more.

You: Nah, I think I'll just keep trying to dodge the raindrops. I don't understand why it isn't working, though.


Setting timing isn't rocket surgery. Set your timing according to the timing sticky and Lars' paper, including setting the mechanical advance curve and vacuum advance, then set the idle. I like to set the idle screws where I get the most vacuum at idle, using a vacuum gauge, and then maybe a slight tweak from there. Lars also has a vary good paper on tuning a Holley, ask him to send you a copy and use it. Like I said before, it's not rocket surgery, all you have to do is follow the instructions. The instructions are pretty simple if you have a little mechanical aptitude, but if you don't, you may run into trouble understanding something, in which case, let us know, and someone will help you try to clarify things. Good luck,


Keep the shiny side up!
Scott