OK Y guys, truck is running good but I think it can run even better.

Idle timing is set at 9 BTDC. I had retarded this from 19 when I had dual quads.

How would I check total timing and what would be a ball park number since all engines are a little different? Sounds like something you adjust and drive until you find the right sweet spot. I have been running 87 OCT. Manual calls for 4 BTDC for idle timing or base timing.

Thanks for your help,


Joe D (The Frig)
1960 F-100 - 292 Y-Block
Philly Burbs

You are probably going to get a lot of different answers on this one.  My 292 is running 9/1 compression with 1957 G heads, Holley 4V, a stock 1957 distributor with a Pertronics unit and a mild Isky cam.  I run 35-36 degrees total timing.  My motor idles more consistently without the vacuum advance line connected. I time my engine with a Craftsman dial type timing light.  I set the degree dial to 36 degrees and rev the motor.  When the TDC line stays on zero, I lock down the distributor. My motor idles like a watch on Florida pump high test fuel and pulls hard. I have a stock manual O/D transmission with 4.11 rear gears.  My engine never knocks or runs on.  Before you do anything, make sure the timing mark on your balancer hasn't moved.

Phil, those timing lights are the best this that ever happened for guys setting total timing. Years ago tape or if you could get a 360* marked damper it was all a guess.

56 Vic, B'Ville 200 MPH Club Member, So Cal.

They are a YBlock "must have" in my opinion.  Most Y Blocks I have seen have only one timing mark at TDC.  Often it's just a rusty line and a pointer.  How anyone can time an engine this way is beyond me.  One of these dial type timing lights can tell you a lot about your engine.  I recently learned some things about the vacuum advance that I didn't know.  I never used the vacuum advance on any of my race cars.  I always timed my engines by total advance.  This Forum taught me what happens when you connect the vacuum line.  Very interesting and not at all what I thought.

Ok guys I advanced the  idle timing to 14 degrees BTDC from 9. Total timing is 39 degrees BTDC. Truck ran better. More responsive acceleration.

Do these numbers seem reasonable for a stock engine 292 Y block, stock manifold edelbrock carb., headers, stock dual advance distributor with Pertronix electronic points?

If I advance more I guess at some point I will hear pinging (pre- ignition)?

Phil, I located TDC with a piston stop tool and made a new mark as the old mark was off.  Not sure what the old mark was. How can I tell if the balancer moved?
 
Thanks for your help,




Joe D (The Frig)
1960 F-100 - 292 Y-Block
Philly Burbs

If you can load it up and hear no pinging youve got it.  Personally I think you may have to come back a degree or two, but I dont know what your fuel is like.   Its unusual that you can get figures like that  unless someone has already modified your dizzy, Thats close to my figures but I modified..? 



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

Talkwrench,

Thanks, The distributor may have been modified by the previous owner who did the rebuild. I recently went to a stock manifold (single carb). It had dual Carter 4 bls. with vacuum secondaries on her and a Edlebrock manifold that I thought were causing the stalling issue. The issue wound up being that the valves needed adjusting. They were all tightened down (no valve lash). I guess someone didn't like the valve tapping!
The fuel in the Philly area is 10% ethanol and I just started using 87 OCT. I had been using 93 OCT but read on this site that my stock 292 Y doesn't need it.

I will experiment at some point and try the 93 oct fuel. 10% ethanol. I add Stable marine (green) at fill up. What type of fuel do you run? 

Thanks for your help,




Joe D (The Frig)
1960 F-100 - 292 Y-Block
Philly Burbs

Joe , our fuel here in Western Australia is either 91, 95 ,98 octane but it measured different than U.S. 
We do have some that have ethanol , but its mainly eastern states.  I just run 91 thats for all my cars except the Cuda, the timing I setup for that cant really deal with the 91 so the lazy 98 it is!  



"Came too close to dying to stop living now!"

Unless you are doing an actual ethanol content check on the gasoline, you’ll not know for sure exactly what you are running.  I keep 91-93 octane gasoline in all my older carbureted cars as the premium grades in my area have no more than 5% ethanol and it sometimes checks out as low as 3%.  The reduced ethanol content does increase the shelf life of the gasoline and is also easier on carburetors, fuel pumps, and other related fuel system parts.  I no longer find any gasoline in a pump labeled ‘May contain up to 10% ethanol’ that is not ethanol free.  Adding ethanol to the premium grades seems to have taken place 8-9 years ago which is about the same time that it was mandated to increase the amount of ethanol being produced at a Federal level.  Before that time period, only the 87 & 89 octane grades had the mandated 10% ethanol.  I have had some sloppy running engines on the dyno and an ethanol content check of the gasoline being used has found as much as 30% ethanol in that fuel and that came from pumps that should have had no more than 10% max.  Going with a fuel with reduced ethanol content fixed those engines that had trouble with the higher than normal ethanol percentages.

Lorena, Texas (South of Waco)

Phil, I located TDC with a piston stop tool and made a new mark as the old mark was off.  Not sure what the old mark was. How can I tell if the balancer moved?

Without an accurate timing mark, you will never be sure of the timing.   If the old mark was off, your balancer may be compromised. You can time an engine with a vacuum gauge.   Before my rebuild, I did it this way.  Google it and see what you can find.