Ideal timing on stock 5.0

Dave2000GT · Feb 26, 2007

I tried adding to a thread in the tuning forum about this but haven't gotten any replies yet.

What does everyone think is ideal base timing settings for a stock 5.0 ??

I have mine set 13 degrees using 89 octane.

Just wondering what other people use, btw in my opinion the 2 greatest "free" performance enhancers everyone needs to do especially to a car that is new to them is new fuel filter and advanced timing.

HISSIN50 · Feb 26, 2007

There is no magic number. Assuming we are only using like 87 octane, one car will be able to run 15* and another will only take 12* before pinging. I'd also note that dynos have shown that there's a fall-off point in power before the onset of audible pinging. This is a reason to not necessarily run on the ragged edge of detonation.

Dave2000GT · Feb 27, 2007

HISSIN50 said:
There is no magic number. Assuming we are only using like 87 octane, one car will be able to run 15* and another will only take 12* before pinging. I'd also note that dynos have shown that there's a fall-off point in power before the onset of audible pinging. This is a reason to not necessarily run on the ragged edge of detonation.

Thats true cars can be different... I think 5.0's are fairly uniform compared to some. I had experience with a newer 4.6 and it had all kinds of trouble with pinging and not having much torque etc even after being tuned.

I think it's safe to say for example a number +/- 1* is fairly good estimate so I just wanted to see where other people are at.

HISSIN50 · Feb 27, 2007

I'll respectfully disagree about how uniform the 5.0's are (though I know where you are coming from - even the 94-95's with their finicky processors are less 'uniform' than fox III's. Thus Fox III's seem more relatively uniform, but still are not IMHO).

If trying to generalize:

On iron heads, you will find that many folks bump the timing to 14* on 87 octane. That's the biggest generalization I would dare to make. There are those who can run more advance (though they often have alum heads). Everything else is rolling up or down the bell curve.

Good luck with it Dave.

85_SS_302_Coupe · Feb 27, 2007

FWIW my car seems to like 14 degrees.

86bluecobra · Feb 27, 2007

Yep i would just advance it 1 degree at a time and take it for a run. A run at a track would be best. You will see times and mph change as well as you can listen for pinging. Then do it again. Till either it makes no difference or you get a ping then back it down. Its basically what carb guys do to tune them with jets aswell. Well old school guys that don't have AFR monitoring equipment.

Shakerhood · Feb 28, 2007

Mine is at about 13 1/2 and I have to run Premium.

Wade95 · Feb 28, 2007

My first 95 didn't like anything over 12. On my 87 Gt I have aluminum heads and have run 20 degrees for a weel or two so far. That's with 93 octane tho.

blackened88lx · Feb 28, 2007

I'm at 15* and run 93. I've never tried running cheaper gas with the timing that high, but I assume it would ping. It has never made a peep the way it is now. When I got the car it was at 7 or 8 from the factory.

Darkwriter77 · Feb 28, 2007

I'm running 14* on 91 octane, although I'm probably going to drop down to 89 octane and see if it still doesn't ping - premium is like $2.53/gallon, now. The car feels like a total dog at the stock 10* setting, and just bumping it up to even 12* makes a heckuva difference in not only WOT pull, but it seems to idle and cruise a tad differently, too.

Wasn't someone posting that they're running 16* on here, not too long ago...?

FWIW, a fuel filter isn't "free" mod unless someone gives you one, or unless you steal one.

MYSTICSVT · Feb 28, 2007

Mine doesn't seem to run any different with anything above 10.

So I leave it there and run 91 octane for the Naaaaaaaawz!

Dave2000GT · Feb 28, 2007

Darkwriter77 said:
I'm running 14* on 91 octane, although I'm probably going to drop down to 89 octane and see if it still doesn't ping - premium is like $2.53/gallon, now. The car feels like a total dog at the stock 10* setting, and just bumping it up to even 12* makes a heckuva difference in not only WOT pull, but it seems to idle and cruise a tad differently, too.

Wasn't someone posting that they're running 16* on here, not too long ago...?

FWIW, a fuel filter isn't "free" mod unless someone gives you one, or unless you steal one.

That's why I said "free" and not free. Really cheap is what I meant!

Thanks for all the responses everyone, I feel pretty safe with my setup now, one of the reasons I'm asking is because the massive holes in my mufflers make it difficult to tell for sure that it is not pinging.

just4bob50 · Mar 1, 2007

I've heard that the factory timing pointer can be off as much as 3-5 degrees from true TDC. Im not sure, but I think Rick 91GT is the person who told me this. So if thats true you will just have to experiment. I know that when I just had a few bolt ons on my car it seemed to run best with 14 deg.

HISSIN50 · Mar 1, 2007

just4bob50 said:
I've heard that the factory timing pointer can be off as much as 3-5 degrees from true TDC. Im not sure, but I think Rick 91GT is the person who told me this. So if thats true you will just have to experiment. I know that when I just had a few bolt ons on my car it seemed to run best with 14 deg.

This is the way things should be done. It doesnt matter what the timing marks say, we have to listen for detonation and adjust timing accordingly.

The first car I ever used a timing light on was the stang - before that it was done the same way I'd synch carbs - by ear. I now use a light to note relative changes (I used to compare dizzy position to my scribe in the intake) and to be able to compare to what you guys run.

04sleeper · Mar 1, 2007

I agree with JT on this one.

My 89 coupe used to run 11 degrees MAX with 93 octane.

Also mileage and condition of the engine can affect how much timing you can get away with as well.

armyjon · Mar 1, 2007

heres a good one for ya. My new 40 over block, trick flow stage one cam with redone factgory cylinder heads will only run on 20 degrees advance. Thats according to the Matco Determinator. I tried to retard a tooth on the distributor and the engine wouldn't even sputter. I hear ideal is 10-14 though.

HISSIN50 · Mar 1, 2007

AJ, I hate to ask but I am not really familiar with your set-up and posts: You have the SPOUT connector pulled, right?

Good luck.

Roland69 · Mar 1, 2007

Mine is at 13* with spout out and I can run 89 octane with slight detonation and I run 91 with no detonation. I could probly go to 14* or 15* and just run 91 octane.....stock

armyjon · Mar 2, 2007

H50 yes with the spout pulled it won't run under 20 degrees. tried to retard a tooth and advance a single tooth on the distributor and it won't start either way there. If you try to go below 20 it dies

Ideal timing on stock 5.0

Dave2000GT

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