timing

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RyanUpdike70

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I was wanted to what i should set my timing at. I have 340 30 over stock heads intake and quadra jet cab.The cam is a 474lift on both sides.It has about 38 total degrees in it. It aslo has a 2200 stall with 355 gears. Is this about right or not .
 
Try starting with 36 total timing at 2000 rpms.
 
Here is what I did.
I advanced my initial timing until I started to hear the dreaded pinging. I then backed it off 3 degrees. I ended up with 16 initial. I then went into the dizzy and set my mechanical advance at 18 dgrees. That gave me a total of 34 degrees. I then changed my dizzy springs to have the total timing all in at 2500 rpm. This was on a MSD setup with no vacuum advance.
The first step is the most important as each engine will react differently to initial timing, some will like 10 degrees, others 20 degrees. It is the procedure that is important.

Jack
 
Timing is also effected by chamber shape and plug location, on early engines with open chambers they like 34-35 and no more and the 302 heart shaped heads don't like more than 30* total. Will they take more sure but the HP and TQ will suffer. Then it depends on what kind of fuel your using, higher octanes need more lead than lower octanes do, just as compression effects the amount of timing also,so like Jack said every engine is different.
 
i have the same setup as jack and have mine at 35 total, 17 initial. eddys heads supposedly like the 35* total.

your setup is far different than mine. i would run a slightly larger curve, maybe 21*, so total is 34* and initial is 13*.
 
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