Guide on setting timing?

[krumpelsaurusrex]

Is there a good guide or a detailed "how to" on setting the timing on a 360/390 FE engine? I have searched a few threads but nothing definitive or really clear. I would rather learn how to do this then pay somebody to do it for me. I have heard timing settings from 6 to 16 and even above. I set my timing to about 10 ( I think) last night, and I am getting back fire from carb on acceleration. Also after about 10 Min of driving or running, knocking noises come from bottom of engine. They weren't there before. I am running a 360 with manual trans. Mallory unilite distibutor with electronic ignition. Engine idles @600 rpm when doing timing. I didn't unplug the vaccume hose on carburator (holley 4-barrel) when I set the timing. I guess I need to set it while it is unpluged.
And tutorials or good information/ advice would be helpful. I thought it would be easier to find a step by step guide with settings on these engines!

Surprising I did find a decent tutorial on checking timing from a harbor freight manual for a timing light, but it's so general it does not mention specific degrees and rpm setting for these engines.

[towtruckerfour]

Hey Krumpelsaurusrex. I copied these two pages out of the manual I use. The first one is specs and the second is timing instructions. Hope it helps.

[fordman]

one of the books i have syas 6 btc. (before top dead center) that i sthe setting for a brand new engine with no wear on it. or a good low mileage engine with barley any wear on it. the settings can vary depending on how much wear your truck has on it. since it is set at 10. turn the dist back towards the way it was set at to get it running correctly again.

now once it is running right again. get a timing light.
remove the hose from the dist that goes to the carb and plug it off with a screw.
hook up the timing light to the battery and the number one plug wire. how to hook it up depends on your timing light. inductive or not.
start the truck. point the timing light at the balancer on the crank shaft. read the number is is showing in the light. turning the dist will give you the numebr you are searching for setting it at.

[krumpelsaurusrex]

Thanks for the advice. I think I got the how to down, now it's just finding the right setting. I set it to 10 btc, with no advance. With advance hose hooked up it moved to 24 at idle. It seemed to run decent today, a few back fires and harder starts, so I think I need to maybe take it back a few degrees. I think my carburetor is causing more issues then timing. Right now I'm waiting for aaa to pick me up. Keeps stalling on the road, drive for a few 100 yards then stalls. Gas smells real rich. So I'll have to address that. Here's to hoping my gas guage is just wrong!

[mrtleavitt]

My bro and I have found a sweet way that hasn't failed us yet. After taking out the distributor several different times and having to time my engine and his, this way has worked perfectly. Once the engine is at operating temp, plug off the vaccum advance and have someone hold the engine at 3,000 rpm. With a timing light advance the timing between 36-38. This should end up being close to 18 degrees advanced at idle. Like I said, this has worked great about 10 different times now with absolutely no problems!

[krumpelsaurusrex]

Tried firing it up today, runs like crap and I have to floor the gas to keep it "running" Has to be an issue with fuel supply or carb settings. So as soon as I get it running, I'll have to give the above a try with the timing.

Towtruckerfour: Thanks for the snap shots from the service manual. By chance do any of those numbers represent the recommended "curb idle speed"? I see a 550 lists for the "360" engine size, I am at 600 RPM on idle, but need to know the best speed to set the fuel mixture at using a gauge. found a great tutorial for my holley carb: http://www.chevyhiperformance.com/howto ... index.html

[towtruckerfour]

The only thing my book mentions about curb idle speed adjustment is to:

1. have the motor at operating temperature
2. adjust timing
3. hook up a tach with motor off
4. start and turn headlights on high beam
5. On manual trans, put on parking brake and trans in neutral and adjust to specs
6. for auto trans, put on parking brake and block wheels. Then put it in drive and make adjustments for curb idle speed using the tach.

So I guess they are saying 550 for a manual and 500 for an auto in drive. It does say for adjusting Idle mixture to adjust the mixture screws til you get the smoothest idle within the limits of the idle limiters. It says there should be caps on the mixture screws that limit your adjustments. I just screw mine all the way in and back them out about 2 turns. Always worked for me. Hope that helps.

[krumpelsaurusrex]

that does help out a lot. I think I am at about 600, so I'll try 550 and see how it goes from there.