Ok, I need to set the timing on my stock 71 sb, just rebuilt the carb original q-jet, idles nice and smooth, runs fine under normal driving just when you jump on it, it has some rumbles after reading Lars post it is most likely the timing. so I have a dial back timing light. Can anybody tell me how to set the timing as Lars states, but in laymen terms.

 

Hi Blue by you, I grew up in kenilworth right near you. The easiest lay men's terms I can tell you is make a mark on the distributor shaft housing and the engine block. So no matter what, you can return the distributor to that mark. It has to be thin and exact so you can be dead on. Then play! Try a few degrees advanced and test drive and see where you like it. Obviosly if it cranks hard or pings, you went to far. I'll be at my moms house on 10street sometime this week if you want to stop by, I'll PM the day before I head over.

 

assuming you still have a points distributor, you have to adjust the dwell before the timing

 

yes, I still have points, I have read to take off the springs and set the light to 36 degree, now when I look at the timing marks what should I look to set the timing to.

 

Hugie82, I used to live on 15th street by the park some 23 years ago

 

By the Bowens and Rikers?
If you take the springs off the counter weights, it throws your dist into full advance. (Don't do that!) Do you have any Chevy manual! That will outline how to set the timing.
Oh, they were on 16th. You were behind the little league field by the Mulhern's

 

YouTube will easily show you how to set the timing. The basic is pull the vacuum advance hose, plug it up so no vac leak messes with your idle. Losses dist hold down without turning the distributor, just enough so it will turn. That's why it's good to mark it incase you do. Start the car and set timing to 10 degrees advance without using the timing gun advance features. That's only to check Timing advance, your just setting base timing.

 

The goal is to get to 36 degrees, all in by 3000 rpm's.

I did it like this... I had my son get in, give me RPM's in 500 rpm increments. I took a timing reading with vacuum advance removed and plugged.

let' say you set the initial to 6 degree's, and you get something like this....

650 = 6
1000= 10
1500=14
2000=18
2500=22
3000=26
3500=26
4000=26
4500=26

in this example... it's all in by 3000. Doing a little math, setting the initial to 16, instead of 6 will get you the 36 degrees at 3000.

If your car is not all in by 3000, or something close, the springs in your distributor may have to be changed.

Now to check your vacuum advance, let the car idle back down, and check the timing with the vacuum advance not connected. Now, connect it... the rpms will come up, so back the idle back to where it was (so the mechanical advance doesn't come into play). Check the timing, again, and subtract them, and that will give you the advance of the can.

The max advance goal should be around 52, which would be mechanical at 36, plus whatever your vacuum advance will give you. My understanding is that most vacuum cans will advance the timing more then 16 degrees, so there has to be some adjustments made to them if necessary.

I hope this helps. I'm not a super expert by any means, but this has been my experience so far. (and yes I'm still playing around with it)

 

thanks, I will try that