Thread: Ignition

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I have a 76 Nova with a 70 LS-6 454 .Just got the car last week and am not sure what the ignition timing is supposed to be .Have plenty of experience with smallblock's but this is my first Rat motor. Could anyone please help me.It has a H.E.I. ignition with a Accel super coil.Also M.S.D. plug wire's and vacuum advance.

First, Put a timing tape on the balancer, and disconnect and plug the vacuum line.

The old books (1971 or so) recommend 38-42 degrees total, with 14 initial. Of course, they had Sunoco 260 in the tank back then. If you want to set it "like THEY did" . . .

Your distributor should have about 26 degrees of centrifugal advance built in. Set the initial advance at 14 degrees. Run the engine up until the spark quits advancing - should be 3000 -3600 rpm. Make sure that the total advance doesn't exceed 38-42 degrees. The setting isn't exact, since each engine is different. You may have to back it down some unless you're running 100+ octane race gas. With that 11.25:1 compression, you're going to need some high octane to keep it out of detonation.

Love that purple Sunoco 260 - ya can't get 110 octane any more at Walmart.

Would it be o.k. to set the initial timing at around 8-10 degree's advanced. I was told this was alway's a good place to start on smallblock's?I would probably be running 93 octane in this car . I was told it has 10.5 to 1 forged T.R.W. pistons.Maybe 104 octane booster occasionly.Appreciate any help .