Timing way off
 

Today I checked the timing of my 80 SC. I took off the vac lines and plugged them, then checked the timing @ idle. It was way to the right of 5 deg..... So, I set it to 5 deg. Anyway, took it for a test drive and it drove just fine. What neg effects would running the engine at that timing be?

Thanks!

Anybody?

Re: Timing way off
 

Almost certainly ... Nothing. I don't know (without looking it up) what the base timing is for an '80 SC, but, if the mark was to the right, I think you were over-advanced 5 deg. on base timing. Someone may have set it what way on purpose to get a little more advance at higher RPM's (at little more power). I don't think 5 deg. additional advance would cause any negative affects, even if you use regular gas, unless you "lug" the engine a lot (typically, if you run very much above the recommended base timing, you should use higher octane gasoline).

Jerry M
'78 SC

hmmmmm... I wonder if I should set it back then. The car ran great with the previous and current settings. I guess I will leave it for now and check the total advance when I get a chance.

When JW times my engine, he sets timing at 35 degrees total advance. That results in an idle setting (hoses disconnected and plugged) of about 12 degrees BTDC, rather than 5 degrees as called for in the factory specs. This additional advance in timing does not result in detonation and it causes improved torque and a smoother power band.

That is about where mine was at. I will check my total advance probably this weekend and adjust accordingly.

Thanks guys!

Run a search on SC timing or advance, and you will find that lots of guys run with 30-35 degrees of total advance. Feels like a turbo in second gear sometimes when I start to climb the torque ramp just past 3500 RPM :D hehe..optimistic I know, but man do I love the 3.0. esp. in a very light(er) car.

If the only mark on the pulley is designated for 5 BTDC, how do you measure 35?

You should have a Z1 mark..unless your pulley is from I don't know where.

Or find TDC on your pully. Get the No. 1 piston at TDC and mark your pulley with something that will show in the strobe light. Use a long straw or something solf to stick into the spark plug port to verify TDC.


Get Craftsman timing light with a dial advance for the light..about 60 bucks I think.

Or subtract 5 degrees..

lots of ways to get around the problem.

Oh, that would explain it, i didn't know that lights had advance dials on them (the one i have my dad used back in the 70's and is cheap). If i ever get the motor together than i'll do this timing mod. Do you rev it to a certain rev or something with the vac's blocked to get a 30-35 degree advance as described?

I will do a search. I am curious if there is a way to check total advance with a standard timing light?

Thanks again!

30-35 degrees at 6000 RPM. I don't run any vacuum at all

Brian, mark your pully for 30 and 35 degrees. the strobe should light it up when you are close to full advance.

Thanks Souk! I will have to dust of my protractor and geometry skills :D

I didn't know if there was a mark already or not.

Brian, if yo get your wife's sewing tape..you can figure out the the 35 degrees that way..measure the pulley OD, devide by 36 and you have 10 degree measures..half that for 5 degrees..right?

Sounds good to me! Although I couldn't really feal a difference between the previous setting and the current one. I will still recheck this weekend. Plus, it is just plain fun playing with my new toy! Give me an excuse to tell the wife that I have to take it out for a drive and drive the piss out of it to see if I broke something :D