Thread: Timing by ear?

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If it's timed by ear,should it be stroked by hand? Seriously,I always use a vacuum gauge as Denny described. Hank

If you don't have a timing light or vacuum gauge, nor the well-tuned ear, why not time the engine statically?

Commonly done on fresh engines.

You won't be able to get an exact read on the vacuum advance end of things, but you can tell if the vacuum advance is working.

Originally Posted by C9x

If you don't have a timing light or vacuum gauge, nor the well-tuned ear, why not time the engine statically?

Commonly done on fresh engines.

You won't be able to get an exact read on the vacuum advance end of things, but you can tell if the vacuum advance is working.

My find on initial statically tuned engines is that my timing is generally way advanced as they all seem to idle very nicely 'way up'. I then need my light and gauge to put it into specs.

As far as checking vacuum advance operation - you are correct on GM engines that use full intake vacuum. Ford uses ported(timed) vacuum from above the throttle plates which has no bearing on idle advance.

Timing lights and book specs can't take into account the effects of age, wear and tear . . .
why not time the engine statically . . .

Not to discount anything that has been said to this point, but this question did spark an old memory.

Back when we had no tools or money we would -

Find #1 TDC using some down hole device like a wire or screw driver.
Set the point gap at the highest cam point.
Put a cigarette celophane between the points (while closed).
While pulling on the paper, rotate the distributor (counter clockwise?) until the paper 'just' released from the grip of the ponts.

That was the starting timing point to check rotor alignment etc.
From there - easy staring and no bogging under accelleration by ear.

Of course these were old tuners - not expensive 'built' engines.