Need some advice on tuning my big block...

[Weak440]

My 440 has an aftermarket balancer on it. I can't tell what kind it is but, I do know that it is marked "Street Hemi" and "Race Hemi".


Since I am going to be pulling my valve covers off to change the gaskets, I thought that I would pull the spark plugs, fan, and fan shroud. I was planning on sticking a 1" indicator in the spark plug hole of the #1 cylinder and finding TDC. I wanted to do this with the valve covers off so that I know that the indicator doesn't accidently make friends with a valve.

I was planning on marking TDC on the balancer, maybe put a small notch in it that I can fill with orange or white touch up paint.

Put it all back together (hoping that my valve cover leak is fixed) and set my timing. I had read about using a vacuum gauge while advancing the timing. If I understood correctly, at 2000 rpm you advance the timing until you reach a maximum vacuum reading then back it off 2 degrees.

Has anyone set their timing like this? Did I understand it correctly?

 

[bOb shingler]

use a positive tdc stop. you can buy one or make one out of an old spark plug and 3/8" bolt. anyway, screw it into #1 hole and adjust so the piston stops an inch or less from tdc. when it stops put a nice straight mark under the "0" of the timing tab. turn the motor the other way until it stops and do the same thing. now true tdc is exactly half way between the two. cut a line in the damper and use the white paint like you mentioned.
i never timed a motor like that.

 

[moper]

I don't use vacuum to set timing - tho I know others do it that way and swear by it. A timing curve is a very individual thing which is why sometimes it's a trial and error process and why some people think a car runs great when there's more room for imrpovement. A very basic setup - something of a starting point for an average sized cam, stock long block - would be 12-15° intial timing and a total around 38° with factory iron heads. It should be "all in" by 2500rpm, and the vacuum advance should be connected to a ported vacuum source. Even to reach that, depending on your ignition system, may require some extra work on your part.