advanced timing school please

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DirtySwiffer

DirtySwiffer

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ive got my vac gauge, timing tape is on the way, timing light, working tach, and another guy to help out. anything else i will need?

also just looking for step by step instructions to figure my advance timing number out. it seems my dist. (Proform is the brand) needs some help... recurve kit? i have no experience under the cap, and dont know what to look for.

how do i know when the distributor is "all in" and when its not?
 
There's been tons and I do mean tons written about this. A thread or two:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=178584

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=251553

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=194463

For anyone to help you need to post what it is that you are working on!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Basic steps............for a typical wedge V8, "typical."

Recurve or obtain a performance distributor with no more than 20 crank degrees advance "to start."

Set up initial timing with vacuum gauge and or tach, adjust for max vacuum while readjusting idle back down low, and max idle RPM. Retard just a touch if necesary. Also pay attention to starter kickback

Check total (without vacuum) at high RPM so it is advanced for reference. Drive car. Dyno or strip numbers and read plugs, will help tell you what total you want

If you run vacuum (and should on the street) this will be on TOP of total. Some engines like as much as 50-55 degrees counting vacuum.

Make sure no pink at midrange, which can be a problem, etc
 
after reading the 3 threads you suggested, i see you may be the timing expert on fabo... so thankyou for the help, because i really need it.

is the proform i have now capable of being recurved with a kit instead of welding or filing? part number 66994.

the distributor came off another built 360,so it may have been recurved to perform on that engine.

i sold the engine to a member, i believe his tag is 70-dart and he has a thread on that engine
 
I'm far from the expert, LOL on timing. So far as recurve, I have never used them, but FBO ignition makes a kit with a "limiter plate." Other than that, your only options are welding up slots or buying an aftermarket distributor.

Also, be sure not to get confused by "distributor degrees" and "crank degrees." I tend to "think" in crank degrees. When you look up distributor specs in all the old Motors or service manuals, they are expressed in distributor degrees. This is "half" of crank degrees. If you look at a mopar advance 'top hat' many had a number stamped. This is distributor degrees. Something, say, "15" is a long slow "smog" advance, -----30 crank degrees. Also, any distributor built after about 68 is a "smog" curve, getting worse as newer. Rebuilts are questionable, as you never know what you get LOL
 
This is an article I saved because it explains things so well.
Don't be against reading it over and over if needed
Between this and Youtube.com you could see and understand how the parts interact and be an expert on it before you ever open the hood. :D

http://www.mopar1.us/engine2.html
 
Get the idle/initial timing settings done first. Anything else and you are chasing your tail.

Think building a house. Do you build the roof first? Nope, you start at the foundation. Which in your case is idle.
 
crackedback said:
Get the idle/initial timing settings done first. Anything else and you are chasing your tail.

Think building a house. Do you build the roof first? Nope, you start at the foundation. Which in your case is idle.
Click to expand...

What he said... ^^^^
 
timing1.jpg


timing2.jpg


timing3.jpg


timing4.jpg
 
what would be my options for aftermarket distributor? id like to have one that i can recurve with the kits. i thought the one that i have now is aftermarket. i tried taking it apart just a minute ago with no luck. upon spinning it, i could see the springs which look like they can be changed, as well as the slots. idk if these will help at all but i took a couple pictures
 
i cant find any information to help me disassemble this distributor either.
 

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This may help:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=67882&highlight=degree

Basically, Remove the rotor, Pry the reluctor up (Screw drivers on both sides), Unscrew pick up and you'll have access to the advance plates.

Do you know anything about the engine? If you don't its going to take trial and error to dial it in where as if you knew you could jump to a spot and fine tune it.

If you want a plug and play distributor that uses the Mopar box and stuff I suggest a FireCore. (see post 12 of the above link for a kit if you have that version of the Mopar distributor or buy a FireCore)
 
DirtySwiffer said:
what would be my options for aftermarket distributor? id like to have one that i can recurve with the kits. i thought the one that i have now is aftermarket. i tried taking it apart just a minute ago with no luck. upon spinning it, i could see the springs which look like they can be changed, as well as the slots. idk if these will help at all but i took a couple pictures
Click to expand...

easiest ones i know of to adjust is the msd. everything is on top. springs and bushings to adjust curve.

that stock style one isn't hard to pull apart.
 
DirtySwiffer said:
i cant find any information to help me disassemble this distributor either.
Click to expand...

As always, the service manuals are a great place to start. Maybe I'm "on" this because I'm old. When I was in my 20's in the Navy, I didn't HAVE an internet to help. What I had was a genuine factory service manual.

Here:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?p=1970088617

http://www.mymopar.com/index.php?pid=31

Maybe the 72, and for sure the 73 has the electronic distributor in the book.

Also, this is a great article:

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=64449

There used to be an online article from one of the Mopar mags but I cannot find it. I think this is it, but it's so terribly "copied" I can't even tell!!!

http://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=...uYHIBQ&usg=AFQjCNEsZ-YSGuJV9o0z_KLnWX0X_GisSQ
 
ok ive read the above threads and i have learned quite a bit. i got my timing tape in today, and was wondering... the diameter of the harmonic balancer on the 360 should be 7" correct? i got universal timing tapes from 5.25-8 inches and pretty sure i should be using 7"... just want to be sure.

during my timing light use... my timing light fell and hit the fan and is now broken of course. and i have a bag plug wire.

i had the car running well with no kickback or pinging at 8*advanced. that means i should be looking for a dist. with 26ish initial to get me up around the 34 mark where i should be... and all that with no vac advance ? and then add my vac on top of that to be up around 50something, hopefully.

upon driving the car with this dist... i step on the gas its like the car just has no go to it. it revs without any problem sitting in the driveway, but out on the street it just seems to die out and it has no power at all. am i on the right track with looking into the mechanical advance?
 
I don't know about your 360, but my 340 has 18* initial. 8* sounds a little low to me which may explain the sluggishness.
 
I don't use timing tape. Check your balancer for accuracy yourself, either make steal or buy a "piston stop."

http://www.forabodiesonly.com/mopar/showthread.php?t=241628

After you have either checked the original marks or made a new TDC mark, you can easily mark the balancer by measuring carefully around the outside, and figuring "degrees per inch" to mark off say, 40 degrees. From that 40 mark you can divide in half to get 20, 10's etc

If you DO use tape you want to make sure the OD of the balancer is accurate. Again, just measure around it carefully, and divide by pi
 
8* initial sounds low. all my small blocks always end up somewhere between 17-20 initial and 35 total..
 
DirtySwiffer said:
i had the car running well with no kickback or pinging at 8*advanced. that means i should be looking for a dist. with 26ish initial to get me up around the 34 mark where i should be... and all that with no vac advance ? and then add my vac on top of that to be up around 50something, hopefully.

upon driving the car with this dist... i step on the gas its like the car just has no go to it. it revs without any problem sitting in the driveway, but out on the street it just seems to die out and it has no power at all. am i on the right track with looking into the mechanical advance?
Click to expand...

Do you have to smog test the car? No kidding it will run like crap with 8* initial. I don't even set stock 318's with initial timing that low.

Advance the distributor until the car kicks back when starting while hot. Back it off a little. That's where the timing could be set at idle. Simple test, give the distributor a small twist CCW, if the engine picks up RPM, it wants the timing.

Search hillbilly timing tape. Never buy a timing tape again!
 
alright, i really appreciate the help. you guys make this stuff sound so easy. ill advance the dizzy like crackedback mentioned and see how she runs. check the initial to see where im at. and play around with the dist i have, maybe i wont even need a new one. imagine that
 
Don't drive it when you bump initial. Your total number will be way too high.
 
got it all timed today. its running about 17* initial at 19-20 on the vac gauge. and all in about 1900 rpms at 35*. those numbers sound quite alot better than what i had before. thankyou for the help, car runs a heck of alot better. cant wait to register it next week!!
 
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