V8 Ignition Timing Advice Needed?

[V8RRC]

Hi All,

I am after a bit of advice re-ignition timing on my 3.5 v8 engine!

Last year I fitted a recon army v8 into my RRC, It is running on SU Hif 44 carb's & has the points distributor - Serial number 41487 which is not switching the coil it is wired to a after market electronic ignition unit.

The engine is 8.13 :1 compression ratio.

The engine has been in for around 8 months & seems pretty good apart from it always seems a bit flat! Don't get me wrong it will go when you give it some welly but you have to sort of wind it up!

The ignition timing has been set to the Haynes book of lies & for the above distributor it says it should be set to 5 degrees After TDC is this right ?

I have set it to this setting static & checked it with a strobe as well.

Is there another way of setting the distributor ie- by ear?

Any help will be gratefully received

Regards,

[Bull Bar Cowboy]

5 ATDC is along way retarded and the engine will be pretty lifeless.

What is the total mechanical advance of that dizzy ? the easiest way to determine that, is to look what’s stamped on the weights and multiply it by 2. Then subtract that figure from 28 and you will be left with the safest static timing figure.

Probably the best method is to replicate the timing marks to about 30 degrees BTDC. Run the engine to 4000rpm and set the timing to this figure. This will set the static timing automatically.

If you can’t do either, then set it to 6 BTDC and see if it pinks when pulling hard. If so back off the timing 1 degree at a time until it stops pinking.

Ian

[V8RRC]

Ian,

Thanks for the reply

Haynes says the centrifugal advance for my dizzy is as below :-

4800 rpm 23 to 27 degrees

1800 rpm 10 to 14 degrees

1000 rpm 0 to 5 degrees

Hope this means something to you!

Cheers,