Initial & total timing

[elv408]

I know what Initial timing is and how to set it, but how do you figure out your Total timing?



If my Initial timing is set at say 12* plus 20* advance from say a HEI distributor, that\'s 32* total??? is that correct? Please enlighten!



elv408

[s10rodder]

yep, that\'s how ya do it.



you can also find total without vacuum advance by revving up to 4000-5000rpm and watching the light. You need a marked balancer, timing tape, or dial back timing light to do that though.

[Scotty_S-15]

On 2005-07-15 14:41, s10rodder wrote:

yep, that\'s how ya do it.



you can also find total without vacuum advance by revving up to 4000-5000rpm and watching the light. You need a marked balancer, timing tape, or dial back timing light to do that though.



Yes, in fact I\'d say the ONLY sure was is to bring the engine up to max revs ( max revs of your advance) and check it. Hopefully, 4K should be enough. I\'ve recently been \"enlightened\", shown that static bench testing of an HEI\'s advance curve is somewhat misleading, the only true test is to spin it up on a dist. machine, or on the engine.

....... If you do play with the dist. on the bench, remember that 10 deg. actual on the dist. equals 20 deg. on the balancer, that is, distributor is only going 1/2 speed of the crank.

[elv408]

Thanks, Guys for the information. Looks like I\'ll be buying some timing tape so that I can check it with the timing light. I don\'t have a marked damper. I\'ve read the Spark plugs using the information Posted the this site (very helpful) and they indicate that the timing is about where it should be. I\'m seeing color in the elbow of the strap. I\'ll use the timing light to get a number.

Elv