Slant 6 Turbo 68Dart Project
I think I read you used the lead after ign resistor to power the MSD. MSD needs full power to operate properly. Low voltage IE after resistor could make it missfire When you get your battery fixed, set your ign timing with a timing light while cranking engine with fuel pump disconnected. When car fires your timing is already set. If you do not have a timing light you need to own one with a turbo car.
Definitely follow the advice on the resistor... That is good timing-setting advice IF you know exactly how much total spark advance your distributor will deliver once all the advance has been administered, but unless you are absolutely sure how much advance is built into the distributor's mechanical advance mechanism, you could end up with too much, or too little after the pins have hit their limit. A more sure-fire way to accomplish this, and one that will not put your engine at risk, is to attach the timing light, start the en gine and watch the spark advance on the damper/pulley, raising the rpm slowly, until it is obvious that the mechanism has reached its limit. Make a mark on the damper at 18 degrees and turn the distributor just until the timing light illuminates the timing with the 18-degree mark lit up. That will ensure that your engine will NEVER "see" more spark advance than that, while under boost, a CRITICAL parameter. First, though, you should determine that the TDC mark on your damper is accurately oriented; all of them are not. Buy a TDC indicator that screws into the sparkplug hole and has an adjustable-length probe that can be adusted to stop the piston near the end of its travel upward. Make a mark on the damper when the piston stops. Then. reverse the rotation 'til it stops again, make a mark on the damper, and split the difference. Now you have an ACCURATE TDC reference mark. It may, or may not match the factory mark, but it is one on which you can rely. Eighteen degreees is, of course, easy; measure the circumference of the damper/pulley, and take 1/20th of that figure and make a reference mark on the damper that distance from your just-established (proven) TDC mark, and you now have the timing mark you need. You will very likely, never encounter engine-damaging detonation due to ignition timing with that setup. Adjust for that setting, lock the distributor down and forget it! Vacuum advance HAS to be disconnected for this procedure, of course. Now, you has jazz.... :cheers: Compared to what you have already successfully faced during this build, this will be a piece of cake for you... Good luck!