18-19 advanced to run what is wrong?

[treihesse]

when the truck is at 12 degrees it stumbles wont run etc. When I advance the timing to 18-19 degrees it run good not great but good. What am I doing wrong?? I have a edelbrock 1406 carb (rebuilt with kit) new plugs, fuel filters.

 

[grant_71]

Is your distributor 1 tooth off?

 

[bax]

Is your balancer good? The outer ring may have spun a little. Run it where it runs good and get a new balancer

 

[bronko69er]

What rpm are you timing it at?
Is the vacuum advance disconnected and plugged?
Is the ballancer in good condition?

 

[Broncobowsher]

Usually one of 2 things. Either a mix of balancer and pointer that isn't right. there are 3 possible pointer locations on a small block ford. Also common is a damper where the outer rings has slipped a little. this makes the timing marks in the wrong place. My answer, time it by ear and feel. Forget about the timing light. Well maybe use the light to reference changes, add 2° here, pull 1° there. forget about the actual numbers, just use them as a reference.

 

[treihesse]

Im not going to screw it up?? If I turn it to the left all the way it runs good. Could it be 1 tooth off on the dist.? I never thought about that. I just dont want to grenade the motor.

 

[bmc69]

Im not going to screw it up?? If I turn it to the left all the way it runs good. Could it be 1 tooth off on the dist.? I never thought about that. I just dont want to grenade the motor.

Timing is timing..its got nothing to do with a tooth off one way or the other; all that does is change where the dizzy physically sits for the timing you actually see.

Advance it until it runns good, does not nock/ping under load and the starter still turns it over OK. If you advance it too much, yr starter will start to act like the battery is dead when you try to crank it hot. Then you know you have too much advance.

 

[treihesse]

Thank you so much!!! I will do It. Can anyone give me a ideal on the air fuel mixture needle on the edelbrock 1406. How far out are you going out???

 

[bronko69er]

Ive always just turned them in until the rpms just start to decrease then back out 1/4 turn. Not sure if its right but it worked for me.

 

[admin]

I just attended a local Mustang show and the guys from Pony Carburetors were there. The president of the company tuned the carbs on 5-6 Mustangs as they sat there on the show grounds and with spectators watching over his shoulder. I've never seen anything like it at a show and it was actually a great marketing tactic. I'll certainly give them a lot of consideration before buying a rebuilt carb from a chain parts store.

Anyway, a few things I can pass on from their demonstrations.

1. On small block Fords if the distributor is on the right tooth and the timing is correct the vacuum advance nipple will point to the 7 o'clock position (12 o'clock being the firewall and 6 o'clock being the center of the radiator) That being said don't point it there if it means your engine runs terribly. You're probably a tooth off and so this distributor position won't apply.

2. As Broncobowsher said, don't hold much faith in a timing light. Tune by ear and a vacuum gauge. If you rely on the timing light and the harmonic balancer outer ring has slipped (very common on older engines) then you'll drive yourself nuts because you'll insist the timing is right when it isn't.

To set timing first hook up a vacuum gauge to manifold vacuum and note the reading. As the engine warms up the vacuum will increase slightly and stabilize. Now turn the distributor (slowly) until you maximize vacuum and RPM.

Next, move on to the fuel mixture on the carb. Again, turn in slow increments until you maximize vacuum and RPM. Turn the screw in until the vacuum/RPM starts to drop and then back off just a touch. Most carbs have 1 screw on each side. They should be close to matching each other. (ie. both out 1.5 turns, not one out 2 turns and one out 1 turn)

 

[fiscus]

Look closely at your balancer. When the engine is running does the outer ring wobble at all? Is the rubber cracked, bulging and / or missing little pieces?

If the outer ring has spun a bit it can throw out the balance of your crankshaft which can kill the bearings. If the balance seems bad it would be a good idea to change it.

If you want to verify your timing pointer/balancer are accurate you can get a piston stop that screws into the spark plug hole and check it. There is a procedure on how to do that if you ask i'm sure someone will post it.