Okay I just timed my car today (85 305 std z28)because it was running at 1500 at an idle. So I timed it with the light to see where it was at. It was at like 20 degrees. So I took it down to about 8 because the book says 4(wanted it advanced a little) but now my car has no power and ****ty milage. WHY? Also the book says something about a piece welded on as a viewport for a special timing light on some models. Mine has that. How will it affect my setting?

 

You have to disconnect a connector:

http://www.thirdgen.org/newdesign/te...ngtiming.shtml

 

My car has a carb though.

 

Just a thought, try setting it at 4deg. adv. and see how it runs.

 

you still have that connector, and you still have to disconnect it to time the car


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84' Firebird, 305ci lg4, 700R4, 288/292 duration .450/.460 lift,Edelbrock Performer intake, Holley 600cfm 4 barrel, K&N filter, Pacesetter Headers, 3'single exhuast, dual out muffler, no cat,Motive 3.73's and Auburn Posi
1/4mile 15.17sec @ 92.5mph

currently in pieces, for manual swap

 

I don't I talked to a mechanic (came up to me on the street when I was ****en with my timing) and he said just to unhook the vaccuum advance and that my car has a **** of a miss.

 

is the car all original?

if so then yes you do have that connector, and if in fact the car is all original, it will not have vaccuum advance.

however if the car has been modified to no longer use the computer, or has a diffeent engine than it came with, the setting in your book is pretty much meaningless.

if i am proven wrong i apologize

 

I get the idea it's not original anymore, so you have to do it like the old cars.

First, disconnect the vacuum advance hose.
Then set the timing to 8 degrees, lock it down and make sure it doesn't move from 8. Hook up vacuum advance hose. Timing will jump the extra degrees vacuum advance adds.

If it still gives problems, consider the possibility that the timing tab location does not match the timing mark on the balancer. Chevy put the timing tab in different locations and installed a balancer that matched the application. If balancer was changed or the tab or the timing cover (some had tab welded on cover), and new part was not same as old, you have a mismatch. In which case you set engine at #1 TDC and remark the balancer to agree with zero on tab.

 

As far as I know it has had an engine rebuild once. I think it is a stock engine although I may be wrong. IT does have some computer crap but it seems to be dead (good too) It has the vaccuum advance. It has lots of ****en power now.