What is the total timing for SBC?

What is the total timing for SBC?

You want the total to be around 34, so if you need to drop the initial, you’ll need to modify the distributor to have more mechanical advance, and then when you drop the initial timing, the total will be the same.

What should timing be set at on SBC?

Depending on your cylinder heads, compression ratio, camshaft, and centrifugal advance curve in the distributor, “normal” base timing for a street high-perf small-block Chevy is somewhere in the 12- to 18-degree before top dead center (BTDC) range, with total timing at full centrifugal advance about 34 to 36 degrees …

What happens when timing is too far advanced?

If ignition timing is too far advanced, it will cause the fuel-and-air mixture to ignite too early in the combustion cycle. This can cause the amount of heat generated by the combustion process to increase and lead to overheating of the engine.

How do you know if your ignition timing is too advanced?

Ignition Timing Symptoms

  1. Pinging/Knocking. Pinging or knocking indicates that pre-ignition is taking place.
  2. Hard Starting. In order for an engine to start, the fuel and air mixture must be ignited within the cylinders at the proper time.
  3. Overheating.
  4. Low Power.
  5. Increased Fuel Consumption.

What causes the ignition timing on a SBC?

When we removed the distributor, the steel camshaft had worn the distributor gear but not as badly as we had assumed. However, even though the wear on the gear did not appear bad, there was sufficient clearance to affect the ignition timing.

What happens to the ignition timing when you Rev the engine?

If you revved the engine quickly, the timing would appear to advance normally although very abruptly. We also noticed that once the rpm was raised to around 3,000 (full mechanical advance), if the throttle was quickly returned to idle, the timing would at first overshoot about 10 degrees and then return to the base initial timing.

What’s the best way to check total timing?

The right way to check total is with a dial back timing light.. Remove and plug/cap off the vac advance hose, Rev engine to 3500 rpm and hold there..

What is the best total timing for a small block Chevy?

The small block chevy runs best with 34 to 38 degrees total timing. Ok let me break it down for you.. You have initial timing which is the timing at idle..