[big surf van]

i was installing new plugs & wires & decided to check timing
it was way more advanced than 5 degrees tdc
any reason for this? is this a cover up, car seems to run fine
i did set it closer to 5d.
any help would be greatly appreciated
ed

[Dave O]

Did you also check it at the high RPM spec? This is real important. Not sure of the spec for your year but it may be on one of the metalic plackards in the engine bay.

[mb911]

It should be 3-7 degrees at idle (900 rpm) and 25 at 4000 rpm with the vacum line disconnected. I also have the curve chart for you if need be.. Is your vacum retard hooked up ??

[Charlie Stylianos]

5-degrees at idle (w/o vacuum lines connected) is about 25-total advance (if vacuum and mechanical advance are working correctly). This is OEM spec. Some folks like to run as much as 35 degrees total (15 at idle) for better performance. If you do this, it is also coupled with disconnecting the O2 sensor and richening the idle CO to 2.5%.

[matt de maria]

If you advance the timing that much you run the risk of hammering the top rings and ring lands. On old engines it will crumble rings and destroy pistons and barrels.

[big surf van]

Thanks for all the replies. The previous owner probably did a little tweeking and my adjustments bring it back closer to stock specs. Still seems to run fine and I didn't notice any loss of performance by bringing back to "normal"

Thanks again,
Ed