advancing timing, need some clarity

Darkrider · Nov 30, 2004

so im goina get off my lazy butt and advance the timing on my car, its at 10* as of now i believe and im thinking ill put it up to 15 or 16*. i just wanted to make sure i know what im doing haha. I was told i need to disconnect the "spout connecter" while im advancing the timing and then reconnect it before i drive the car. what exactly is the spout connector? is this it?

View attachment 520111

are there any other steps i need to take ?

93 teal terror · Nov 30, 2004

Yup thats it. Make sure you dont plug/unplug it with the car running

88gtracer7 · Nov 30, 2004

B I N G O you got it.wht do you want to put the timing so high?

Darkrider · Nov 30, 2004

more performance ive heard most people set it from 14-18 so i think 16 is a happy medium, and thanks for your guys' help

93 teal terror · Nov 30, 2004

just be sure to use good gas and check for pinging if you turn it up that high

Euphoric306 · Nov 30, 2004

guys, for those of you who dont know ive had numerous problems with ignition and the like for months now, trying to figure it out. well, i thought i had the spout figured out... until now.

if im not mistaken, we have the same ignition system (EEC-IV), except i dont have a spout connector like that. when i first found out about it, it was a disconnected yellow wire on my car. i connected it, then figured out what it was. i installed a simple connector so that i could disconnect and reconnect the wire to set my timing the right way...

my question is... do i need to go buy a little connector like the one in that picture or will my home-made setup do just fine?

Michael Yount · Nov 30, 2004

Homemade is fine - it's not different than a toggle switch, or any other way of simply connecting/disconnecting a wire. I didn't like the looks of the factory 'spout'; I cut it out and put in an insulated male/female plug. Been that way for going on 3 years.

93 teal terror · Nov 30, 2004

Ive heard of many people just using a paper clip as a jumper. I guess thats all it really is anyway, so you should be fine.

cobradvm · Nov 30, 2004

Just a couple of thoughts..
1. make sure you have the highest pump gas octane you can get (the highest I can get here is 92). Run the tank almost dry, then fill it up and you should be ok.
2. Don't jump from 10* to 15 or 16 in one go - just asking for trouble - go in 1-2* increments - and test and tune each time you bump it, listening for pinging under load - I would go to 12* and drive for a couple of days - if that was ok, go to 14* and so forth.

Good luck. Also octane booster doesn't work worth a crap. Most people tend to run 14* - whether or not you will get detonation will depend on your setup - ie compression ratios, and the condition of your pistons - if you have forged pistons, it will tolerate pinging better than the hypereutectic pistons so be careful.

Howard

cobradvm · Nov 30, 2004

One other thought - have you done a tune up recently ie plugs, wires, rotor, fuel filter, and PCV valve. The stuff you have on there looks OEM.

Blakthorn · Nov 30, 2004

how do you change the timing?

Darkrider · Nov 30, 2004

the car has been recently tuned up, the guy did it before i bought the car off of him in september so that shouldnt be a problem. what do you mean by "OEM"?

and i wasnt aware that i should jump up in increments, i will take your advice and start at 12* for a day or two and see how it goes, thanks

cobradvm · Nov 30, 2004

Blakthorn said:
how do you change the timing?

Use a timing light and rotating the distributor is basically how you change the timing - if you are looking for more detail, there should be ton of stuff if you do a search.

OEM means Original Equipment Manufacturer - in other words what came with the car when it was bought new. Usually (but not always) most folks will go with aftermarket stuff when doing a tune up. The stuff that's on there simply looks like what was on it when it was stock, that's all. Some people will simply replace it with the same stuff that it originally came with. I went with MSD so my distributor cap and wires are red. The wires are 8mm so they should conduct electricity better yada yada yada.

HTH

Howard

Psydwaze · Nov 30, 2004

When you advance your timing your idle will also increase. If you have not already installed the IAC spacer idle adjuster thingy, you will have to adjust the idle at the throttle body then dial in the throttle position sensor (TPS). The Idle Adjuster plate/spacer is only about $20 from your local ford dealer and will save you some time.

shttygtstang · Nov 30, 2004

i tought the timing had nothing to do with the idle your iac and tps and of course the screw on the tb was what decided your idle

Euphoric306 · Nov 30, 2004

nah, when u advance timing, your idle is naturally going to advance, then when u get the timing right u use the iac to set ur idle right

HISSIN50 · Dec 1, 2004

i personally dont like to bump timing so high i have to switch fuel grades (run 87). if one advances the timing and sees detonation, the common solution is to run higher octane fuel. higher octane fuel is not as volatile (slower to ignite). so one has advanced the timing and retarded the point at which the fuel burns. i dont pretend to have a Yount-like understanding of all this, but it seems like it is a bit of a higher-priced wash.

Funanin · Dec 1, 2004

didnt know that

cobradvm · Dec 1, 2004

HISSIN50 said:
i dont pretend to have a Yount-like understanding of all this, but it seems like it is a bit of a higher-priced wash.

That's funny! I couldn't agree more. My understanding is also not Yount-like, but I think the premise of advancing the timing is to allow the air fuel mixture more time to burn completely, and hence release more energy = more power. If you are retarded (well if the timing is too retarded) you will not completely burn the A/F mixture, and it goes into the headers only half burned, your headers will get toasty real quick. The octane rating simply is a comparison to pure 100% octane. Gas with a 87 rating is 87% octane (I believe). The higher the octane the less likely it is to detonate, the more you can advance your timing, and more energy/power is released due to more complete buring of the A/F mixture.

Thats how I understand it.

If Michael is around, no doubt he will chime in!

Howard

Psydwaze · Dec 1, 2004

The other part of advancing the 'timing' is at which point of the piston movement the actual combustion happens. The closer you can time the piston being at the top of its stroke or just before the top of its stroke the more effective the combustion is going to be. Detonation or pinging is when the combustion event happens too early and is trying to reverse the rotation of the crank. Combustion occurs either by the spark or by higher compression and heat retained in the plug or cylinder. (colder plugs for boosted cars) This is where higher octane fuels come into play. It resists combustion more or somewhat slows the event letting the piston begin its downward motion.

This is my understanding of this so if I'm wrong someone please correct me.

advancing timing, need some clarity

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