need advice timing a 76' L-48
Thread Starter
4th Gear
Joined: Jul 2004
Posts: 4
Likes: 0
From: Bancroft Ontario
need advice timing a 76' L-48
I have headers, sidepipes, plugged EGR (Shhhh!) K&N air filter, and I just installed a regular edelbrock performer intake. Nothing too serious but i am wondering about the timing. Right now its at 8 degrees and it runs fine. I tried it at 12 degrees still runs fine and no pinging or poping. Should i keep advancing the timing? i dont have an advanced timing light so i guess what im asking is if theres anybody else out there with the same upgrades and what their timing is set at? thanks for the help.
Safety Car
Joined: Feb 1999
Posts: 3,631
Likes: 14
From: Fountain Hills AZ
Unless the engine never goes above idle rpm, total timing is what affects your power. Most small blocks like 36º-38º total and performance is usually improved by bringing it in sooner also (recurve kits are cheap). You can still set total timing with a standard timing light. Measure the circumference of the balancer, divide that figure by 10, put a mark on the balancer that distance from the tdc mark. With vacuum advance disconnected, rev the engine until it stops advancing (that can be as high as 5000 rpm on some stock distributors!). Align the new mark on the balancer with the 0 mark and you'll be at 36º total. Aligning it with the 2º mark will put you at 38º, etc..
