Does anyone know what base timing should be on my 302 should be?It has a Edelbrock cam does this change what initial timing is usually set at? It has a stock distributor with a MSD 6AL box.The vacum advance is unhooked and I am getting some pinging under acceleration and this is not good for my engine,any tips and suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
is your stock distributor from an egr equipped vehicle? most egr (73-77 in the case of mavericks) distributors have to be recurved when egr has been removed and will ping under hard acceleration no matter what initial timing one uses. it seems to me that most small blocks were happiest around 12 degrees initial, but i could be dead wrong on that, (relying strictly on memory...). it has been a long time since i have messed with one but maybe someone here can more eloquently outline the procedure for removing the breaker plate to get at the weights and springs. a trip to the boneyard can net you a non-egr points-style distributor to get weights and springs from (they do fit the duraspark also). that's the way i did it on my 390 i put in my 78 F150 back in '92. i'm not aware where one can find an aftermarket recurve kit for the ford/autolite/duraspark though. i strongly suggest running a vacuum advance for any street driven vehicle unless you launch it above 3500 rpm at every stoplite (unlikely)
I set mine by total timing. around 34-36* gives best power for me according to the dyno. You should use your vacuum advance. contrary to popular belief it's not a smog thing or a power robber.
hi guys, my 302 does not like the vac. hooked up . are you saying that if it runs like do-do with it hooked up i need to "recurve" my ' dis ta buter...? ...frank... 72' 302...diff. cam...pertronix...
My car is a 71' but it is a California car, I'm not sure what the distributor came out of because I just bought the car
my speed shop setup my timing for me...complete MSD ignition....and if memory serves me.......30 degrees at 3000 rpms.....im not sure....that why i had them set it.....and when i run purple gas it runs AWESOME...
As far as I know, if you have a 71 302 in your car, you don't have to recurve your distributor. Hook your vacum advanced back up and retime your car...I don't have my book right here, but I'm thinking it's set at 6 degrees BDC. Can't quite remember. But anyways, i'm pretty sure the vacum advance works to keep your points gapped correctly during high and low rpms. The vacum advance moves that plate that your points mount on ....so I thought. I'm no mechanic. After I rebuilt my motor (with lots of HP) I had trouble with the points closing up on me after gettin on her good...had single point dist....I solved all the problems by installing a HEI distributor....easy to do, no fuss. D. Ray
I am getting good response above 2500-2700rpm but my problem occurs below that when accelerating It doesnt knock when I accelerate gradually but if I hit it hard it sounds really bad,when i checked timing it was set at about 30* at idle? I know this is way too much.
Timing should be around 6-10 degrees initially, then when you rev it up it should move up to around 30-35 above 3000. The vaccum advance is what does this on most distributors, but some use centrifugal weights and springs that pull out and advance the timing as the rpms increase. Either way, 30 is too high at idle, but just about right at higher rpms. Thats why vaccumm advance is a good thing.
Also, there is a method to setting your timing correctly at idle, in which plugging your vacum advance line is involved.....does this ring a bell? Coarse I ignore alot and just mark my spot on the crankshaft damper pulley, shoot the light on and get it close....then advance or retard by ear. Then I take er for a ride and see how she responds....I may bump it either way depending on the cars responce. I know this is a backyard way to do it....but works for me.....I call it the "bump-and-run method. D. Ray
thats the way i normally did it.......just find a long road that isnt used much.....run it hard from a start....pull over and adjust....do it again....until it runs..... or take it to a race track and there is always someone around who might help you set it the right way....
to 71gold and funkranger alike...have either of you ever checked to see if the diaphragm in your vacuum advance was ruptured? it sounds as if you guys have vacuum leaks when you hook it up. to check it, simply hook a vac hose to it, place the other end in your mouth and suck. if you can suck air, it's ruptured and needs replacing. those goofy "dual-vacuum" ones can be replaced with single vac port units
BTW funkranger and 72comet_GT i'm pretty sure EGR was mandatory emissions equipment for Cali cars in 1971. funkranger, do you have the tag# from the distributor? i might be able to cross it for you and tell you if it's an egr-equipped unit
