Total Timing?

Shane said
Oh I think I finally get it!

Thanks guys,

When I first set up my car , I was at around 12*. And thecar ran great. Then I kept hearing a rattling when I got on the gas hard. I even made a post on hearing asking about it.. Turned out it was pinging I was hearing... I turned the timing right back, and the rattle/ pinging went almost away... Just a little when I jump on it..but my inital is at about 4. I havebeen having an issue with a backfire lately that I thought was bad gas from storing..

So if I do actually get it now, I must have to much mehicanical advance in my distributor...

It's a mopar performane distributor, so do I have to learn how to change the springs in it to give me less advance???

Thanks
Shane!

And right there you have the winning statement!
----------------------------------------------

12* isn't enough with a 484 cam IMO.

You can set the initial with a vacuum gauge too. Feed the engine timing, keeping idle constant, until vacuum stops increasing, then back it off 1" and take a timing reading. That's a really good place for your initial advance.

Then you have to limit the mechanical to hit your desired total advance. Some MP distributors have a mallory style advance system, others need to have the advance slots shortened. Easy to do.