can somebody tell me about ignition timing. what is initial and what it total timing. i need to understand this so i can time my car right. i marked the balancer at 12 and turned the dizzy until the mark lined up with the pointer.
can somebody tell me about ignition timing. what is initial and what it total timing. i need to understand this so i can time my car right. i marked the balancer at 12 and turned the dizzy until the mark lined up with the pointer.
Initial timing is set with the spout removed. The spout is the little grey plug on the wiring harness right by the dizzy. Removing the spout makes it so the ECU can't change timing at all. The timing is locked in at its base setting. When you put the spout back in, the computer is able to adjust ignition timing based on engine load, rpm, etc.
Total timing is the most advanced the computer can make the timing. It is a function of whatever you set base timing at, plus whatever the computer can add to that. Setting total timing really isn't a concern with 5.0's.
To set your timing, first make sure you remove the spout! Then set the timing where you want it. 10* is stock, good for 87 octane. Most often you can go to 14* with no pinging, but you will have to run 92 or 93 octane gas. Once you set the timing where you want it, tighten down the dizzy, put the spout back in and go drive it! Listen to make sure it's not pinging. If it is, either bump the timing back 1 or 2*, or run higher octane gas.