FJ60 - Hard time setting timing on my 2F (yes, I do see the flywheel BB) (1 Viewer)

[danob]

Can't quite put my finger on this one, so need to tap into this vast pool of knowledge here (been living off this forum for past months, but first time posting).

If I clip my timing gun's clamp on the first spark wire, I'm getting really intermitent light... if I clamp on any other spark wires (useless for timing), I get the clean strobes I'd expect. My dist cap had been replaced recently by PO, as well as all spark wires & sparks (properly gapped as well). I did re-connect both ends of this spark plug wire just to be sure. She could start a bit easier, but seems to run fine when warmed up.

Any one else having this issue, or any thoughts on what the issue might be?

 

[hank14]

Mine does that as well, but it's due to a bad connection on the plug of my timing light. Maybe pull the plug wire off the spark plug and check for consistent spark when the engine's turning over. If the spark is consistent, you probably have a bad connection with the timing light on the #1 wire.

 

[Spike Strip]

Fouled plug. Bad wire.

 

[TS888]

Swap the #1 and #6 plug wires (they're about the same length) and see if that fixes it.

 

[danob]

Good tip for #1 & #6 wire swap, I'll do that this evening to see if I get a better reading. Also, are you all running at stock timing (7 degrees)? PO told me it ran much better advanced, and I "think" I'm at about 7 now (hard to tell with intermitent light), but that really dropped the idle down.

PS: I just pulled out all 6 plugs & verified gap... they all looked in good shape.

 

[2mbb]

check check the #1 plug also for broken or cracked insulator, etc. You might try running the engine in the dark and/or misting water around the plug and/or wire to look for sparking...

 

[1911]

Also, are you all running at stock timing (7 degrees)? PO told me it ran much better advanced, and I "think" I'm at about 7 now (hard to tell with intermitent light), but that really dropped the idle down.

On my 40 which is de-smogged and running a Jim C. re-curved 60 dizzy, I'm running 10 degrees BTDC and may advance it a little more. Right now my 60 which is still stock and smogged, is set at 7 degrees BTDC. If you run at high altitude, you can advance it to at least 10. In any event, you can advance it until you just barely get pinging or knocking under load (up a hill for example) and then retard it just enough so that it doesn't ping.

 

[TS888]

I'm currently running about 10 degrees on a desmogged 2F with stock compression ratio. I'm planning to bump it up a bit, basically advance it until I get pinging under load and then back it off. The gas(ahol) we get now is pretty resistant to preignition, so you can run more advance.

You'll have to turn the idle down as you increase advance. I prefer to set timing to stock 7 degrees, do all the carb adjustments, and then adjust timing up and idle down. That way the idle mix is correct before you start messing with other things.