initial timing setting 6530

[dmcisaac]

can someone clarify a timing question. when initially setting max timing, is the distributor put in at tdc and timing set at distributor, or do you advance crank from tdc to max timing and drop distributor in at #1. i tried setting up my 383 advancing crank from tdc to 36 degrees and then putting distributor in at number 1.but car runs really bad , i used a timing stop to verify that i was at tdc
one thing i did notice was vacuum was very low. 12 inches when i retarded the timing 25 degrees to give me 12 degrees initial as i put the timing back in to let the car run at 36 degrees at idle vacuum came up to 18 inches, put a timing light on and timing shows 36 degrees max and were ever i set timing, the timing light shows the timing there . but cant make car run even decent, cant get it to even ping, the car ran good with the factory est distributor, but not the msd stuff and the ecm is not controlling timing. am i missing something?any help would be great.im running the 8361 distributor (locked out). the 6530 and the blaster coil. car will start and run and idle perfect

[Gaz64]

Originally Posted by dmcisaac

can someone clarify a timing question. when initially setting max timing, is the distributor put in at tdc and timing set at distributor, or do you advance crank from tdc to max timing and drop distributor in at #1. i tried setting up my 383 advancing crank from tdc to 36 degrees and then putting distributor in at number 1.but car runs really bad , i used a timing stop to verify that i was at tdc
one thing i did notice was vacuum was very low. 12 inches when i retarded the timing 25 degrees to give me 12 degrees initial as i put the timing back in to let the car run at 36 degrees at idle vacuum came up to 18 inches, put a timing light on and timing shows 36 degrees max and were ever i set timing, the timing light shows the timing there . but cant make car run even decent, cant get it to even ping, the car ran good with the factory est distributor, but not the msd stuff and the ecm is not controlling timing. am i missing something?any help would be great.im running the 8361 distributor (locked out). the 6530 and the blaster coil. car will start and run and idle perfect

You had an EST distributor?

I don't understand how you had 18 inches of vacuum at 12 degrees, and only 12 inches of vacuum at 36 degrees.

Can I assume you have a fairly mild cam?

Fit the distributor so you can time the engine to start on 12 degrees and still allow the distributor to be advanced by hand up to 40 degrees.

Start the engine at 12, wind it up to 36 with your timing light, upload your timing curve into the 6530, then the timing will be retarded from your base of 36 back to whatever you have at idle from the "retard curve" you uploaded.

Check for proper rotor phasing, you may need an adjustable rotor.

[dmcisaac]

sorry had around 12 inches of vacuum at 12 degrees of timing and 18 inches vacuum at 36 degrees at idle. yes i was running a gm ecm with an est distributor. i am now running a fast ecm, that does not control timing.i am running a mild cam 223/227 about .550 lift