". . . .dumb people who ask them!"

My car was surging and missing a tad bit, so I checked the timing today. It was about 10 and I slowly moved it up until I got no pinging under HARD acceleration. Now, it is about 20. Is that too high? As I open it up, the timing goes to 30 and that's all I can read on the dial. Too much?

It DOES take off better now that I've fiddled with it.

What say ye, oh Timing Gurus?

 

I say that like people, cars are all different and they should all be timed to how they run best. The only thing for certian is that the stock setting is way to enemic. The most important thing is where your RPM's end up at what speed in my opinion. I just went thru this last summer when I hooked up my tach to make sure I was as efficient as possible. I ended up with 16* as my initial setting. Here, it was a short thread but I dug it up for you in case you were interested.

http://forums.stangnet.com/showthread.php?...ighlight=timing

 

Total timing should probably be around 35-40

 

It seems to run fine, but it heats up quicker. (It runs where it should, but when you turn on the car, the temp gauge swings all the way over before it comes back.)

Lots more passing power on the onramps!

I think my total is about 35 or so. Hard to see exactly with PS and AC in the way.

--P

 

Thanks Pak. It is interesting to me that as solid an engine as the 289 is that the timing varies so widely. Even with all of the stuff that you can add to it, it seems that the timing woudn't vary so widely. But, I guess you are right--they are like people and, within reason, we should give 'em what they want!

--Paul

 

I've heard from several sources that over time the rubber around the damper will "shift" and give you incorrect readings (timing marks have shifted). I always set my timing and carb using a vacuum gauge, slowly adjusting until you have reached the highest possible vacuum (between 17-22 in HG and STEADY) with the car at hot idle and the vacuum advance disconnected and a plug over the advance inlet.

Works for me at least.

MikeR

 

Mike--That's good advice. My ring is cracked, so I assume that it isn't readying correctly. I may hook up the vac gauge this weekend and see what I have.

Do you have to adjust it back a bit for pinging using the vac gauge or is it good out of the shoot?

 

I've never had pinging using the vac gauge at the highest setting, as long as the vacuum advance was disconnected before I set the timing.

I did set it once with the vacuum advance on (by mistake, got in a hurry) and it really pinged under heavy acceleration. Temp ran hot too until I reset the timing.
With tweaking my '65 now holds rock steady at 22 in HG.

The vac gauge can give you a lot of info, the Chilton's manual has a full page on the different readings and diagnosis. Every 'stang owner should have one, only $20 but invaluable.

Hope this helps, MikeR

 

dont forget that timing is a function of the distributor also, as well as the crank and assoc parts. Slipping timing can be caused by a worn distributor as well, incorrect springs (if so equipped), bad points, etc