Thread: Ignition Timing

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Need help please, I have purchased a 1923 Ford T-bucket recently and all I know about the engine is that it is a 1978 Chevy 350 small block. Can someone help me with what the initial timing should be set at an what the dwell should be for a single point distributor. This was the cover car on Street Rodder magazine in the October 1985 issue, really is a sweet car. The timing is way to far advanced and the engine is stock as far as I know. Thanks for you help.

Originally posted by T-bucket
Need help please, I have purchased a 1923 Ford T-bucket recently and all I know about the engine is that it is a 1978 Chevy 350 small block. Can someone help me with what the initial timing should be set at an what the dwell should be for a single point distributor. This was the cover car on Street Rodder magazine in the October 1985 issue, really is a sweet car. The timing is way to far advanced and the engine is stock as far as I know. Thanks for you help.

Try 28-32 dwell
6-8 Degree timing

Thank you Pro70z28.

I'll now have a reference point. It was turning over very slowly, and hard to start. Too far advanced.

Actually, the factory spec's are dwell 30 deg. timing 4 before TDC. The timing is relative, the dwell is not. Timing is based on the factory engine build specs, application, and emission control requirements. Though the dwell should be set at 30 deg, the timing is based on the distributor advance installation, including centrifugal and vacuum. 8 deg is a good place to start; but I would experiment, looking for the best throttle response and engine power. Ray

RABarrett

Thank you for the information. Yes it is different trying to get some information for this engine when I do not know what was done internally, if anything at all. Right now I've finally got it running good. I put the dwell at 31, bumped up the timing to 12 BTDC where it runs smoother and has good response off idle. I put Bosch plugs in and they are set for .045 gap. I've set the mixture screws for median between lean and rich but the plugs still show carbon fouling. I don't know the custom jetting that was done to the three duece rochester carbs though. It is running good though so maybe I can live with a little carbon fouling on the plugs. Are there any other things I should be looking at as to maybe why the plugs are still black with carbon.