OK guys I need to tune it she runs decent but I want better and correct
Here's what I'm running
No exhaust just have manifolds(I know it needs exhaust I'm getting there)
625cfm carter afb
Rv cam not sure of specs still trying to get ahold of those
Stock olds hei distributor with accel super stock coil
Am I missing anything? and how loopy should this thing idle? I feel its a bit too lopy. Also tuning where should I start how should I approach and what is the correct way to do so btw I don't have a timing tab

 

OK, with no exhaust it makes it hard, with no timing tab, almost impossible.

 

My mild engines in the past liked base timing at 12 to 14 degrees initial . Tuning the carb is useless without an exhaust because it will lean the engine out. I'm sure someone on here has a timing tab you can have so ask around I would send you one if I had one. Once you get your exhaust on you can go from there. Also get a tach for tuning. Your idle should be between 650 to 750 rpm and that's a lil on the high side. There should be a 50 to 100 rpm drop max between going from drive to park. The engine will sound lopey with out an exhaust one you put it on things will change. Hope that helps. Also make sure your plugs are gapped correctly and that your distributor is on the up and up so no cracks , or stuff like that. Externally or internally.

 

Almost forgot , do a compression test , and set the idle with a vacuum gauge. A vacuum gauge will tell you a lot about how the engine is running.

 

what size motor if its a 350 carb is way to small

 

Johnny jaws I beg to differ. I ran a 600 cfm carb in a caf well into the low 13's spinning up to 6k rpm. Box stock eddy 60 cfm carb.

 

Its a 350 and so basically I have to let her sit till I get exhausts money and yea I was actually gonna purchase a tach but I'm gonna save now for exhaust something simple etc

 

I got a cheap dwell meter/tach bill you can use it as a tach. Send me you adress and I'll mail it to you. It only goes to 2k rpm but to set your idle it will work. Bill a simple exhaust you can do is do the down pipes then a little straight section 2 glasspack and some side exit pipes on a 45 degree angle . Cheap enough to get the job done and keep the noise down.

 

I think my dad has one but thanks for the offer copper

 

OK bringing this thread to the top I need to set my timing I know where 0 is so that should help since I don't have a tab......
Ok how do I time it right with hei do I remove the vacuum from it although even at idle removing it doesn't drop idle?
So basically do I begin timing without the advance hooked up and when I hook it up should the timing advance

 

If rpm does not drop at idle when you remove the vac. hose that means you have your advance hooked up to a ported vaccum port. Changing it could aid idle issues . Just throwing that out there. But initial on a mild set up my junk seemed to do good with 14 initial but I had an after market hei. You gotta figure out what your total mech. Advance is. Quick way of finding out is buy a curve kit and folow the instructions. Pick the spring that will suit your tuning needs. Usually you get a chart that tells you when it stops advancing based on the spring you used. So if you put in a set of springs that will let the timing all in by 3000 rpm bring the engine up to 3k rpm and see what your total is . You will need timing tape for that. So if you had initial at 14 and you end up with 34 degrees total at 3000 rpm that means you have 20 mech degrees of advance. 14 initial plus 20 mech equals 34 total. Now if you need more initial which adds pep but too much will give you hard starts you will need bushings or make a stop so you can get more initial and have less mechanical to get the correct total advance. Hope that helps

 

Bill, what kind of timing light do you have?

 

An old craft mans but what if I changed to the dist port on the carb and it still didn't affect idle is that a problem

 

If you pull a port cap off and its whistling then hook it up there . If it still does nothing then either you vac. adv. is stuck or its just adjusted so that it does not advance at idle.

 

Is that bad and it isn't stuck I pulled dist cap and sucked in the vacuum and it moved

 

No not bad it probably pulls while cruising. The vac. adv. is only there for fuel economy. I haven't ran one in a while. Gave up on mpg.

 

For now lets not worry about the vacuum advance, just pull the line off the distributor and plug it with a golf tee or something like it. Does your timing light have an adjustable dial on the back?

 

Nope and I'm too poor to afford one lol just a little old school induction light

 

Bill, e-mail me (PM box is full) and I'll e-mail you a pdf that will make a timing tape, then all you need to do is make a needle with a piece of wire, find TDC, and tape the tape to your balancer (or use it to mark it with a felt tip), and you can time it (though someone on here MUST have a tab for you).

You will be much happier with the vacuum advance working, but once you have a scale on your balancer, you'll be able to suck on the advance hose and see how much vacuum advance the distributor has, and get it working.

If you search around, both OldCutlass and I have given detailed instructions for dialing in your timing at various times, and that should get you there.

- Eric

 

I've searched and can't seem to locate I'm a bad searcher lol

 

Sent email and how do I get the advance working besides when its driving is it a matter of springs and such and how do I know what springs and such to slap in there

 

I don't think you need to change your springs, just need to set the timing correctly. You may have to limit your vacuum advance when we are done. You said you have a tdc 0 degree marked somewhere?

 

What do you mean limit advance and yea I know the vicinity just bout where the 0is cause I had to turn it there to put the distributor in when I was doing all that

 

I sent you the file.

For now just stick with what you've got - you can get a distributor recurve kit when you've got an extra $20.

You want to disconnect the vacuum hose and then slowly rev the engine to about 3,000 RPM, watching to see a steady increase in advance from your initial (probably about 20° BTDC to a maximum of about 35-36°).
At about 3,000 RPM, it should stop advancing and just stay at 35-36°.

If it keeps increasing well past 3,000 RPM, you need stronger springs.

Once you have that down, you can check to see how much advance the vacuum unit adds (just suck on the hose and watch to see the most that it adds).
It would be best to also have a vacuum gauge, so you can see how much vacuum causes how many degrees of advance, but you can live without it.
Let us know how much it advances, and we can give you advice about how to set it up to get it at least close.

Also, note that if your balancer is all greasy, you'll need to scrub it really well with thinner (while lying on your back under the car) to get tape or glue to stick to it to hold the timing tape. If you go that far, there is an argument for painting the edge of the balancer white (or black), and then using a black (or white) Sharpie to just make lines on it where the important points are (I think I used red nail polish on mine - a bottle of cheap bright red nail polish is a toolbox must-have).

- Eric

 

When you have it at 0, there is a slot in the harmonic balance that will be visible looking down from the top of the engine. You need to make a pointer that points directly to the slot that can be mounted to the front of the engine permanently and strong enough to stay there. Then use Erics tape and mark the balancer to about the 55 degree BTDc mark. That will be enough to set and verify your timing.

Depending on how much we advance we can get will depend on whether we need to limit your vacuum advance canister. It's very easy and we will cover that last.

 

OK Eric MD said a screwdriver test could pit me 5 to 10 degrees off but that's the only way I have to verify

 

I just sent you an email - you've got to use a spark plug base with a bolt through it, or something like that - just sticking a screwdriver in the hole won't do it, and you'll be no better off than when you started.

- Eric

 

Sorry Bill, this is one time you have to be accurate.

 

Making my tool now

 

I can't drill out a spark plug to same my life I'm gonna need a timing tab ahha

 

Ha ha. Nobody said it was easy.

Yeah, a new timing tab is the way to go. If I had one here I'd send it to you, but I don't.

I've got at least one about 350 miles away, but that's no help.

Most people have one or two in a coffee can somewhere.

- Eric

 

Gahhhhhhh is it OK to run it as is by ear till I get a tab

 

If its not pinging and starts/drives ok, don't see why not.

 

I don't think it is pinging but it seems to start and drive ok but I want to time it right so I can tune the carb I wanna do this right usually I go by ear but I wanna do this one right

 

since you dont have a tab or pointer to base any timing advance off of i would do it by ear. ive never been too good at it myself but my grandpa swears by it. basically just andvace and retard timing until it sounds best and idles best, if it pings back it down a bit till it stops.