Mystery 318 wants 30* initial timing?? Pinging hard

[nm9stheham]

Try some Shell 93 octane. My son and I have found it to be very good fuel. Just try a tank to take the fuel quality question off the table.

 

[AJ/FormS]

If you don't know how old the filter is, I would recommend to replace it with a metal can. I don't trust the clear ones.Over time they can become brittle. If the filter is between the pump and the carb, and if it lets go,well that could lead to divorce, when Honey finds out where the vacation money went.....

 

[macdrew77]

So I put some new gas in there. Runs good, a little pinging, but I suspect my total timing is still a bit high. Carb still likes to be richened up a lot. I think my throttle blades are closing the right amount and transfer slots are properly exposed.
I've got a factory electronic distributor I'm trying to rebuild, but can't get the damn thing apart. If anyone has any info on rebuilding these I'm all ears. Can't get the reluctor plate off.

 

[RustyRatRod]

Have you run a compression test? That can shed some light on what kind of cylinder pressure you are dealing with.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Compression test? What's that?
This has been directly asked or referred to at least 6 times...
and alluded to a further 8 times.
Posts 2,3,4,8,10,11,13,14,15,16,18,19,26,29, and now30.
Of the remaining 15 posts, I think 6 or 7 are yours.
So basically, since Monday,nearly two thirds of all posts are referencing compression; better than, every other post.
What's so secret about your cylinder pressure?

 

[nm9stheham]

I think my throttle blades are closing the right amount and transfer slots are properly exposed.

Not trying to rag on ya, but 'thinking' the slots are exposed properly doesn't cut it. You HAVE to pull the carb off, flip it over and inspect to know. With the way your carb is set, something is way off. It's gonna take some work to examine everything directly, one at a time.

 

[macdrew77]

Compression test? What's that?
What's so secret about your cylinder pressure?

Easy there, hoss. Once I get a compression tester ill take some readings.

 

[macdrew77]

Not trying to rag on ya, but 'thinking' the slots are exposed properly doesn't cut it.

No worries. I verified the slots last time I had the carb off, but I definitely fiddled with the idle and other settings since then. I'll check it again

 

[AJ/FormS]

Easy there, hoss.

I love that comeback!
Read my sig at the bottom of the page.

 

[macdrew77]

Here's the results of the compression test: done at 185 degrees F.
1 - 130, 2 - 125, 3 - 135, 4 - 140, 5 - 120, 6 - 130, 7 - 115, 8 - 150.

Right when I got it running lifters were clattering like hell. Guy had 3 different size hydraulic lifters in it and wrong pushrods. I bought some 273 rockers and New rods and installed them. New plugs came, installing them now, but my timing light just packed up...
Keep the good advice coming.

 

[AJ/FormS]

Well that tells the story! Between this and the vacuum reading, I'm gonna go out on a limb and say the short block is factory stock, and the bit of a cam, is a bit of a stretch.
So you are gonna have to back up the bus and start over.
From the beginning.
Read my sig.

 

[moper]

#7 & #8 are sick... That being said - start with setting up the timing curve. Once you have that, then look at the carb to richen it at WOT and in transition. You should be able to tune out the ping.

 

[macdrew77]

#7 & #8 are sick... That being said - start with setting up the timing curve.

Yeah I think it needs a valve job desperately, if not more. But I plan on running it into the ground. I have some EQ heads I want to build up then find a motor for them.
Speaking of timing curve, do you have experience rebuilding Chrysler Electronic distributors? I can't even get it apart... Been searching and searching

 

[moper]

In terms of recurving - I've done dozens, yes. To disassemble:
1. remove the reluctor. I use long needle nose pliers and pry under it. Save the roll pin!
2. remove the screws from the vacuum advance pot and remove.
3. remove the screws from the pick-up plate and remove.
4. remove the spring clip retaining the advance plate. It's down inside the center of the shaft under the little felt plug. I use a couple seal picks or small screwdrivers to push the two upward facing ends away from each other, and while doing that, pop the clip out of its groove and up over the distributor shaft. Then pry up the advance plate.
5. remove the advance springs and weights.

 

[KnuckleDuster]

First mark the slot the roll pin is in. There are two slots. Sometimes the pin falls out, watch for it.
Using two big flathead screwdrivers under the reluctor, one one each side, will give you better leverage.

 

[Dusterguy]

If you have radical camshaft its normal if it idles best with lots of timing. I have 360 with 282 cam and it idles best at 40 decrees advance. I have set it 20 at idle and 36 total. No vacuum advance and works good.

 

[macdrew77]

3. remove the screws from the pick-up plate and remove.

Thanks for the great guide. This is where I'm stuck though. I don't see any screws on the plate, unless they are the same screws on the dist body. All I see is some sort of clip holding the reluctor plate to the plate below. This clip is all the way at the back of the dust. I can't get any tools in there, and if I could I have no idea how to remove that *%#$@?& clip.

 

[mguner]

You trying to do this with the dist in the car? It can only go in two ways if the drive gear doesn't move. Line up your timing marks with the rotor at #1 and pull that puppy out. Yes the screws on the outside hold the breaker plate in.

 

[macdrew77]

It's outta the car. It's a spare dizzy. The one in the car is Chinese hei. I'll take some pics in a few

 

[RustyRatRod]

I have a STONE stock 351M in my 75 F250. It has 160-165 PSI across the board. I put some reman heads on it a little over a year ago. I have the distributor recurved with 18* initial and 34 total all in by about 3000. It is a heavy truck after all. It does not spark knock not one single bit. I can even lug it starting out in 3rd and it never says a word. You got something wrong somewhere.

 

[macdrew77]

If you have radical camshaft its normal if it idles best with lots of timing. I have 360 with 282 cam and it idles best at 40 decrees advance. I have set it 20 at idle and 36 total. No vacuum advance and works good.

Thanks for the relevant advice! I've got mine set this way and it seems to run the best it ever has.

 

[moper]

The screws that hold the plate go through the body and thread into the advance plate. There are two. Take them out, and the plate is free, but it won't come out unless the reluctor is off.

 

[macdrew77]

Thanks for all the tips guys. I just had to pry harder on the advance plate, it was pretty stuck. Now onto cleaning painting and modification.