Checked my timing today. Results. (1 Viewer)

[concretejungle]

after reading through some posts i did a search on

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=48120&highlight=timing

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=31883&highlight=timing

I checked my timing because I was getting a low RPM spark knock. I know it's not uncommon. I thought that adjusting the timing would help reduce it or possibly make the motor just a tad more peppy.

What i found after using a paper clip to short out the two terminals is that my timing jumped between 3 to 4 degrees. After taking the paper clip out it danced between 3 and 7 degrees.

Advancing the timing the mechanic said would make it spark knock worse. Retarding the timing would kill the power on the motor. So i left it alone and am running 87 octane gas at approximately 900 feet above sea level (costing $3.03/gallon )

Anyone have anything constructive to add to this? Perhaps pointers or just saying it's good? Any help is appreciated.

 

[Andrewsreef]

Mine has this problem from time to time and is actually worse during the winter??? Not sure if bad gas or what. I drive 99% stop and go and that may lead to more engine deposits (burns some oil with stop and go driving and burns none on the road, could this be the cause of more engine deposits)??

I am running a low maintance dose of Red Line Fuel cleaner in my gas and that seems to help some (per directions on bottle).

I would like to find the cause of this problem but I am not going to spend a bunch of money guessing as mine seems to be minor when it is acting up.

Thanks

Andrew

 

[landtoy80]

Could there be carbon build up?

Seafoam the motor and see how big of cloud of smoke there is?
Could a rich of lean condition from a bad injector cause this?

 

[John E Davies]

You might want to look at this thread:

https://forum.ih8mud.com/showthread.php?t=59659

John Davies

 

[concretejungle]

Thanks John, good thread. Could you or someone clarify to me when looking down at the timing marks there is a 15, 10, 3 and zero. I thought those were advanced settings. So if you wanted to advance the timing you would move it farther from the zero (or actually 3 considering that is stock) towards the 10 mark.

In your original post you say 8 degrees BTDC? THat is what is confusing me. THat to me seems to mean retarding the timing, not advancing it. Some are saying advancing the timing and then using the term BTDC in the same sentence. Those terms just seem to contradict each other.

So, which way should i set the timing mark, to the left of zero (looking down from the top of the motor onto the timing marks) or to the right of zero?

Thanks.

 

[Tools R Us]

Advancing the timing = moving the firing point against the direction the crank turns, BTDC is advanced. Retarding moves the firing point with the crank, ATDC.

 

[concretejungle]

Thanks Kevin. I'm trying not to sound too much like an idiot, but i guess i could find out which way the crank turns by seeing which direction the crank pully is turning, no?

 

[Tools R Us]

Thanks Kevin. I'm trying not to sound too much like an idiot, but i guess i could find out which way the crank turns by seeing which direction the crank pully is turning, no?

Correct, or a lot of distributor caps have an arrow showing which direction the rotor turns, turning the distributor the same way the rotor turns retards the timing. The 3 degree mark next to the pully is where the factory recommends setting the timing.

 

[concretejungle]

Good stuff. Thanks again. I will have another look in the morning.

 

[mabrodis]

Advancing the timing more would make the spark knock worse normally because the knock is coming from the fuel mixture burning before the piston gets to TDC, advancing the timing would only let more of that happen. You could certainly try retarding the timing a bit, I don't believe the "it'll kill your power" statement, it may affect it slightly, but I don't think a few degrees will drastically affect the power either way...I know some say they have lots more power when advancing the timing more, but then you wheel with them and nobody can tell a difference, so placebo effect I think...