timing the BB

[rattlesnake]

After overbuilding the 440 a few years ago, I decided to do a complete restore on the barracuda. I thought I had detuned the engine this time, now I am not so sure. I guess I really don't have the ear for timing a high performance cam. I bought a smaller cam (a thumper cam) for the car because it said it had a radical idle but would not produce the HP I had before. I also switched to a stock set of heads that I only gasket matched and smoothed out the corners very little, I also went to a nice set of headers. The problem is I can't tell if it is supposed to run as rough as it does or if it is out of time or has a miss. Sounds silly right? I have a Mallory Unilite distributor (paperwork says it is sent with 24 degrees timing) with a Mallory Pro Master coil. The way I understand it is the initial timing is set with the balancer.
Is the initial timing set with the balancer and timing marks? What is recommended?
What is meant by total timing? and how is that set?

[Chryco Psycho]

Basically total timing is max advance you can out a mark on the damoer 2 3/8" clockwise from the TDC mark & set that at 0-2*using your timing light AT ABOUT 3000 RPM & YOU WILL HAVE THE total TIMING SET  which is more important than idle timing , but I bet the carb is not adjusted for the low vacuum with the cam you are using which BTW is not a cam I would use

[rattlesnake]

what are the problems with the cam I am using?

[Chryco Psycho]

Why pay extra to have the sound of a lumpy cam with bad idle & give up the power ?
I would go with better idle & similar power or put up with the low vacuum drivability problem but at least net the gain of having the power available !!

[rattlesnake]

  I understand low vacuum can create problems with brakes and such, is there something else it will effect that will make it hard to drive? That's what I was after was driveability. Either way this is what I got for now. If I don't like it I'll switch it out later after I've rested from my long tedious rebuild. Thanks Chryco for the timing help.

Ray,

[cudabob496]

I understand low vacuum can create problems with brakes and such, is there something else it will effect that will make it hard to drive? That's what I was after was driveability. Either way this is what I got for now. If I don't like it I'll switch it out later after I've rested from my long tedious rebuild. Thanks Chryco for the timing help.

Ray,

Adding a vacuum canister to your power brake system can compensate for low vacuum. Basically, the canister
stores higher vacuum and makes it available when you hit the brakes.  On my big block, when I had power brakes,
I put one of these on, since my vacuum at idle was around 10 inches, and occasionally my brakes were a little soft.
Going to manual brakes solves the low vacuum issue.

http://www.summitracing.com/parts/cca-5200/overview/

[cudabob496]

Why pay extra to have the sound of a lumpy cam with bad idle & give up the power ?
I would go with better idle & similar power or put up with the low vacuum drivability problem but at least net the gain of having the power available !!

Muffler choice can help you sound "bad to the bone" without having to get too radical in the cam department.

[rattlesnake]

Please forgive my igmorance but I have alway struggled with the timing thing. Theres not much I cannot do but timing......YUK! When I set the distributor in originally (where it is now) I brought the engine to TDC and dropped it in ready to fire over the # 1 cylinder. It starts right up and runs. But as I said before cant tell if it is right. So after I make the 2 3/8 mark. do I remove the distributor and set it ready to fire at #1 cylinder or just leave it where it is and retard or advance to get my 2* at the distributor? Why is this so hard for me......duh!!!

[Chryco Psycho]

make the mark on the damper , bring the engine up to3000 rpm & rotate the dist until it lines up with the mark you made , if you are using vacuum advance disconnect it & leave it off

[rattlesnake]

O.K. Thanks for making it so simple. I think I can, I think I can, I think I can.

[73EStroker]

Also using a Hydraboost will give infinitely better brakes than the bend the steering wheel manual setup.

[Chryco Psycho]

I agree , Hydro boost is far better If you have power steering .
Low vacuum causes tuning problems with the carb , al lot of things need to be adjusted to get the carb working well with low vacuum

[cudabob496]

What is HydroBoost?

[rattlesnake]

 

[Chryco Psycho]

most newers cars built in the last 10 years use it , instead of vacuum from the engine  it uses pressure from the steering pump , far more stable & powerful , the Astro van is easily adapted ,  virtually all Dodge trucks use the system now