spridgets
[Top] [All Lists]

Re: Timing the '72

To: Chuck Ciaffone <chuckc@ibm.net>
Subject: Re: Timing the '72
From: Eriks Skinkis <eriks@netspace.net.au>
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1998 21:27:49 +1000
Cc: spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
References: <35BF1473.F03@ibm.net>
Reply-to: Eriks Skinkis <eriks@netspace.net.au>
Sender: owner-spridgets@Autox.Team.Net
Chuck,

Do yourself a favour and throw away the timing light. From my experience
and from what I have read in automotive text books is that the the
timing figures provided in workshop manuals are only a theoretical best
figure that works well for the majority of engines. Every so often for
some reason you get the odd engine out which doesn't run within spec.

Reading through old automotive books from the 50's and 60's I have
discovered two alternative ways to setting the timing that don't use a
timing light. I have tried both methods on differnt cars I have owned
over the years and both appear to work very well as they allow you to
set the timing according to how the individual engine needs.

The first method uses a tacho. You must first increase your idle speed
to 1500, slowly advancing the timing from a retarded position you will
notice the RPM's start to rise, they will continue to rise up to a
point, the point at which the RPM's don't rise any further (even though
you advance the distributor) is the correct position. Once set, return
the idle speed back to normal. I was actually forced to use this method
one day when the distributor in my Midget worked its way out of its
mounting clamp, I was alone and a long way from any help at the time.
When I got home I checked it with the timing light and it was spot on!

The second method uses a vaccuum gauge (I've only used this on an old
Toyota, so don't know what involved in attaching a vaccuum gauge to a
Midget ). With the vaccuum gauge connected to the manifold, start with
the distributor/timing slightly retarded, slowly advance the
distributor, you will see the vaccuum rise, you will then get to a point
where the vacuum stops rising even though you continue to advance the
distributor. That point is the correct point to set your timing.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Eriks.


Chuck Ciaffone wrote:

> It happens every time I tune my '72. I set the timing,
> using a timing lite, to about 10 degrees advance with
> the vacuum advance disconnected and plugged. It runs OK.
> Then I start turning the dizzy for more advance, and it
> runs better. SoI would guess that I probably run normally
> with about 15 or so degrees of advance, AND it still
> never seems to ping. Can/should I just keep advancing
> the timing till it pings? What's probably going
> on here?
>
> chuck
> --
> =====================================================
>
> chuck ciaffone chuckc@ibm.net





<Prev in Thread] Current Thread [Next in Thread>