Quick question on setting timing...
 

I have seen numerous posts here for timing suggestions, at least for my SC...and it usually goes something along the lines of 5deg BTDC at 1K-RPM no more than 35deg BTDC at 6K-RPM.

my question is this...why even worry about the idle timing? Just set the timiming at 35Deg at 6K then adjust the idle down to 950K...am I being too simplistic here? Why even check at 1K?

as usual, any comments are greatly appreciated.

Nope, not being too simplistic IFF you know that your vacuum and mechanical advance are working correctly.....setting total advance at 35BTDC then bringing idle back down is fine.

If you initially set to factory specs of 5BTDC and then check total advance, it should advance to ~28-30BTDC @6K. Also, the timing should advance in some sort of smooth linear fashion, not instant. If you are not getting 28-30 degrees @6K, your mechanical or vacuum advance may be faulty. So, if you then set timing to 35, the idle/low rpm timing will be too advanced causing low rpm detonation under load. What if the advance were to 'unstick' at high rpm's...then you'd be way too advanced up high causing possible detonation etc....

Not a bad idea to check both idle and total advance to make sure you have the 'total curve'.

ok...thanks...that clears that up! BTW..i love the if-and only-if... LOL

LOL...yeah, you got to throw that in sometimes......:)