>The manual and the sticker say that the timing should be set
>at 2 degrees ATDC. My car will run when set to this but runs much better
>when the timing is set to about 8-10 degrees BTDC. Is this just an
>emissions lowering trick or is there so much advance (centrifugal and
>vacuum) in the distributor that it is really necessary to retard the timing
>this much?
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Glen (and others),
That 2 deg AFTER, is with the (properly functioning vacuum RETARD)
connected at the time of dynamic timing with a timing light. If your
retard unit isn't working (very likely) then set it at 10 or even 12 deg
before. If your engine doesn't ping under load, then every thing is all
right. Actually your engine will thank you for it. You want as MUCH
advance as your engine will tolerate (without knocking) for best
performance. Engines like advance. They NEED advance. You'll find that
you will have more power, and that you will run COOLER with the PROPER
advance for your engine- The factory advance, especially with later
emission controlled engines, is a compromise between performance, economy,
and emissions, with later years placing more importance on the latter-
Barry Schwartz (San Diego) bschwart@pacbell.net
72 V6 Spitfire (daily driver)
70 GT6+ (when I don't drive the Spit)
70 Spitfire
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