ignition timing problems

MetalHead · 03-15-2002, 05:18 PM

okay, so I'm trying to fine tune my ignition timing and i'm running into some problems. first, i looked for the marks on the balancer that show the degrees and i found them but they don't tell me much. there is one mark that says TDC (top dead center) below it, and then four more marks to the right of that one that are spaced out evenly. thats all it says, no degrees or anything. so i turn on my car and use my timing light, according to PKRWUD's instructions, and tried to line up the mark on the balancer and the stationary mark on the block. they were so far apart i could barely see the mark on the balancer!

the stationary mark is on the driver's side, and the balancer mark was so far away that it was almost under the car. I turned the distributor as far as i could but the white balancer mark was still 2-3 inches away from the block mark, and not even close to the other four marks on the balancer. I tried to turn the disty as much as i could, but when it got far enough the engine died, and i had to turn it back a little to restart the engine.

I reset the idle mixture to see if that would help and it did, as well as the idle speed, but i still can't even get close to lining up the two marks. not only that, but i won't even be able to turn the disty as much as would be needed to line up the marks because the vacuum port is blocking me from turning it further. i don't know what the degrees are on the balancer and i don't even know what degree my ignition should be at for optimum performance.
Help me!

Jason

03-15-2002, 05:18 PM	#1
MetalHead Registered Member Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Monterey, CA Posts: 76	ignition timing problems okay, so I'm trying to fine tune my ignition timing and i'm running into some problems. first, i looked for the marks on the balancer that show the degrees and i found them but they don't tell me much. there is one mark that says TDC (top dead center) below it, and then four more marks to the right of that one that are spaced out evenly. thats all it says, no degrees or anything. so i turn on my car and use my timing light, according to PKRWUD's instructions, and tried to line up the mark on the balancer and the stationary mark on the block. they were so far apart i could barely see the mark on the balancer! the stationary mark is on the driver's side, and the balancer mark was so far away that it was almost under the car. I turned the distributor as far as i could but the white balancer mark was still 2-3 inches away from the block mark, and not even close to the other four marks on the balancer. I tried to turn the disty as much as i could, but when it got far enough the engine died, and i had to turn it back a little to restart the engine. I reset the idle mixture to see if that would help and it did, as well as the idle speed, but i still can't even get close to lining up the two marks. not only that, but i won't even be able to turn the disty as much as would be needed to line up the marks because the vacuum port is blocking me from turning it further. i don't know what the degrees are on the balancer and i don't even know what degree my ignition should be at for optimum performance. Help me! Jason __________________ 67 Coupe 289, 2 1/4'' pipes w/ Flowmasters Edelbrock 600 cfm 4bbl carb, Edelbrock Airgap intake Hooker headers, MSD Ignition system Next: new tranny, T5 or Toploader

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