[davis95]

My engine runs great, I'm just wondering if I should change anything. My total timing @3000 rpm is 36 deg but the initial comes in at 21 deg. Most of what I read states around 18 and 36. Should I do anything to bring the initial down or does this sound normal? I'm also running a 10 deg advance canister and the total with it hooked up is just under 50.

[oldtimr]

Originally Posted by davis95

My engine runs great,

.

If that's the case, you're fine imo but I mainly run locked out timing so what do I know.

Have you experimented with more and less total?

[davis95]

Have you experimented with more and less total?[/QUOTE]

Yes, and it's in the sweet spot.

[oldtimr]

I'd leave it, and let it be sweet.

[SWHEATON]

If its running fine with no ping leave it alone.

But if you checked base timing with idle any higher then approx 600-650rpm then the mech adv is likely partially activated adding a fewdeg timing to the base making you think it 21 deg when it not.

So if you didnt chk base timing with ildelowered to 600-650 rpm max with vac adv unhooked & plugged too then lower idle 7 recheck basetiming.

But again,a fair amount of people run 20-21 deg base timing if thats where your motors truely at and 36-38 is generally where many total end up too.

3k rpm is the maxi would have total comming ,i generally like to see the total all in by 2600-2800rpm max,some people have it comming earlier at 2500rpms .

Scott

[davis95]

I ran the idle screw down all the way until it was barely running and it stayed right at 21. No pinging. Very smooth idle quality.

[bracketchev1221]

I would be concerned about the total number. The total is what is what is goin got make it ping under hard acceleration. I would be more concerned if your initial was too low. Hell, in mine I don't even look at initial. I put springs in to make mine advance as quickly as possible, becasue I wanted to have as much as I could get at idle.

[davis95]

Originally Posted by shonuff

Are you sure, your total is 36*? I see sometimes when guys check total timing they will stop reving where they think the total timing and rpms should come in... If you have a HEI distrib with the vaccum adv unhooked, 650-600 idle and you still have 21* intial, most HEI distribs have a mechanical adv bushings that limit the mechanical advance in 24*, 21*, 18* increments.....They have a few after market places that have 10* and 14* bushings but most only come standard with a 21* or 18* bushing...... If you never changed the bushing out or springs and you have a MSD you prob have 21* bushing so that should give you 21* intial and 21* mech adv...= 42* total timing......

If you have 21* intial and 36* total that would give you an mechanical adv. of 15*..... which is an odd number.....

The 15 is exactly what I thought too, but that's as high as it gets. I ran it up to about 4k just to make sure. Maybe the dist was altered before I got it.

[zeke67]

Leave it where it is. Per your own words, it's in the sweet spot. Sure, lots of guys run a little less, some run what you have, some guys run fully locked out timing.