Thread: need some clarification and more help..timing, carb, gears

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I havent posted in some time but I need help again. I bought a timing light a few weeks ago and have been playing with it ever since. Could someone tell me what I am doing wrong or exactly how to do this. There is a mark on the balancer and I am lining that mark up with that 16 on the chrome tab. Is this the right way to find 16* initial timing? When I set it this way the low end seems gone. Barely a chirp off the start. When I move the distributor counter clockwise(advance?) some numbers on the balancer show up on the balancer at the chrome tab. I used these numbers to find that I am getting 21* initial advance using this method. Am I doing something completely wrong. I notice there are two marks on the balancer, one on each end of the marks with a 1 inch space between it and the numbers. I am using the first mark before the numbers...is this right?

I leaned the carb out a bit by changing the jets and that stopped the fumes at idle and black smoke at WOT. I have a pretty bad stumble when flooring it off idle still and at part throttle under 1500rpm. Any ideas on what I can do.

The truck just doesnt seem to pull like I would like it too. Of course I could have the timing off and carb tuning way off. It used to burn through 1st and second but not anymore. Possibly going to 4.10 gears from the 3.42s. Thanks for the help in advance.

Originally posted by joewee350
I havent posted in some time but I need help again. I bought a timing light a few weeks ago and have been playing with it ever since. Could someone tell me what I am doing wrong or exactly how to do this. There is a mark on the balancer and I am lining that mark up with that 16 on the chrome tab. Is this the right way to find 16* initial timing? When I set it this way the low end seems gone. Barely a chirp off the start. When I move the distributor counter clockwise(advance?) some numbers on the balancer show up on the balancer at the chrome tab. I used these numbers to find that I am getting 21* initial advance using this method. Am I doing something completely wrong. I notice there are two marks on the balancer, one on each end of the marks with a 1 inch space between it and the numbers. I am using the first mark before the numbers...is this right?

I leaned the carb out a bit by changing the jets and that stopped the fumes at idle and black smoke at WOT. I have a pretty bad stumble when flooring it off idle still and at part throttle under 1500rpm. Any ideas on what I can do.

The truck just doesnt seem to pull like I would like it too. Of course I could have the timing off and carb tuning way off. It used to burn through 1st and second but not anymore. Possibly going to 4.10 gears from the 3.42s. Thanks for the help in advance.

I WOULD NOT WORRY TO MUCH ABOUT THE INITIAL TIMING.JUST MAKE SURE IT IS ALL OUT BY 3,000.I WOULD TRY TO RUN 36*TOTAL AS A STARTING POINT.YES,YOU ARE TURNING IT THE RIGHT WAY.GET YOUR TIMING SET FIRST BEFORE YOU ADJUST THE CARB.IF YOU GO TO THE STRIP THE WAY IF READ PLUGS IS MAKE A PASS AND AT THE END OF THE PASS SUT OFF YOUR IGNITION AND COAST TO THE SIDE.PULL YOUR PLUGS.YES YOU WILL BURN YOUR HANDS.LOOK AT YOUR PLUG COLOR.I WOULD TRY TO RUN A CARMEL TO LIGHT TAN.IF IT LOOKS BLACK OR DARK BROWN DROP DOWN 2-JET SIZES GO OUT AND TRY IT AGAIN.LIKE I SAID KEEP LEANING IT DOWN TO YOU GET A CARMEL TO LIGHT TAN COLOR YOU ARE VERY CLOSE.IF IT GOES TO OFF WHITE OR WHITE YOU ARE TOO LEAN.THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO SET IT UP SHORT OF HAVING A DYNO AND A PYROMETER.

Thanks alot. I adjusted the jetting and pretty much have the color you speak of. Not quite white but definitely not black. I am going to mess with the timing a bit. I will try 36 total and go from there. Some have said 38 total....are there any off the wall numbers people have had that got the best performance?