Thread: Timing - too advance? or too retarded?

Tweet

If they set the timing to stock configuration......and you are using high octane fuel......you may need to advance the timing by 2-3 derees specially if the block is built up to run on premium fuel. If its built up to run on regular 87 octane you will need to retard the timing by 2-3 degrees.

The slow cranking and pinging tell me too far advanced. I just went through some of your posts and found you have a 350 sbc engine, retarding it is the easiest thing in the world. First, take a permanent marker and put a little line on the distributor body where it meets the block, and continue that line a little on the block. You want that for reference so you know how far you have retarded it.

The rotor turns in a clockwise direction in a sbc so to advance the timing you turn the body of the distributor counter clockwise, and to retard the timing you turn the body clockwise...........that is what you want to do. Now, take a 9/16 box wrench and slightly loosen the clamp at the base of the distributor, enough so the body can be turned. TURN THE BODY ONLY A VERY SMALL AMOUNT in the clockwise direction (just maybe a 1/16 of an inch from the reference marks lining up) and tighten down the clamp bolt. Now crank the engine and see if it turns faster. If it does, take it for a ride and see if the pinging is gone. If it still pings, or if it cranks slow yet, loosend the bolt, turn the body just a tad more clockwise, and try it again.

You don't need to turn the distributor body very far to effect a lot of change in the timing. I rarely use a light and go by feel and sounds. I just take it advanced until it cranks slow and keep retarding it until it runs right. You can also use a vacuum gauge, but that is a different story altogether.

Don